Reflected Reality
by Reinbeauchaser
Summary: Rama visits Gabby's world Yosutebito Daughter, where both take on new challenges. During Rama’s visit, an explosion in Japan kills Don. Despite the evidence, is he really dead? Cowritten with Ramica. COMPLETE!
1. A Journey Begins

This is a co-authored story between Reinbeauchaser and Ramica. We had kicked around an idea a few months ago about what would happen if Rama found herself in Gabby's world. We decided to co-write it since it involved characters of our own creation. Collectively we decided to post it on my site since Rama is visiting Gabby. One day, maybe Rama can play hostess and then Ramica can do the honors. But, for now, the pleasure is mine!  
  
Also, neither of us own any teenage martial arts fanatical chelonians! Don't have the room in my house for all that high kicking anyway. Plus, my cat, Buster, would probably run them off. -}  
  
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Ramiela groaned wearily. She was tired from having been up for the past twenty long exhausting hours. She quite literally felt ready to drop, especially as the last four hours had pushed her to her very limits and beyond. Patrolling for those hours solo was nothing new to her but it had been a rather hectic night.  
  
"Full moon has everyone half crazed," Rama mumbled as she yawned.  
  
She didn't care what some people might say about the moon not effecting people in any way. It seemed that with every full moon things went totally insane.  
  
She staggered and sloshed her way through the sewer pipes towards home. Her mind was focused on just two things, food and sleep in that order. Hopefully her pesky two and a half year old brother, Tyler, wouldn't come bothering her either.  
  
She entered the lair as silently as possible, not wishing to disturb anyone. But mere seconds after entering a light clicked on in the living room. It startled her. Ramiela whirled around, doing her best to mask her startled reaction. As a ninja she really shouldn't have been caught so off guard. She might be tired but that was no excuse.  
  
She immediately saw her sensei sitting in the rocking chair with a small smile on his face. His hands were steepled under his chin. He was obviously quite aware of having surprised her for his dark blue eyes danced with amusement. Worst of all, Rama could sense it. She bristled slightly as she failed to see what was so funny. She didn't like the idea of Sensei waiting up for her like this. Something was brewing and she wasn't in the mood for it.  
  
"Ramiela come sit" Leo gestured for his student to take her place in front of him on the floor.  
  
Ramiela rolled her eyes "All right but can I get something to eat first Sensei? I'm starving." A low growl from the pit of her stomach was easily discernable.  
  
Leo smiled knowingly and looked up at her. However, he shook his head, saying, "No. Come sit. We need to talk."  
  
"What now?" Ramiela demanded. She was not about to hide her irritation; not with how tired and hungry she was.  
  
In an instant a dark expression crossed Leo's face. This, of course, made Ramiela squirm uncomfortably.  
  
"Hai Sensei" she accepted reluctantly. She moved forward without hesitation and dropped to the mat at Leo's feet. She bowed low before him, kneeling silently with her head lowered out of respect.  
  
Leo allowed her to remain that way for a while; his eyes running over the eighteen year old ninja warrior. He was quite familiar with her every feature and attitude. Ramiela, or Rama to those so honored to call her such, had her long black hair pulled in a typical French braid down her back. Leo knew that when her hair was loose it dangled down almost to her knees.  
  
She was also far stronger than she looked; her strength well hidden. She didn't go into the bulging bodybuilder type for herself but was instead almost slender, if a turtle could be called such. As a result, she carried little extra weight.  
  
Her light green skin was pitted and marked by numerous scars; sure signs of her many battles. She had high cheekbones, like her mother, along with five digits on both her hands and feet; evidence of her human heritage.  
  
Her only mark of clothing was her aqua colored bandana around her head and the protective pads for her knees and elbows. Around her waist was a belt that held her smaller weapons and her sais, keeping them within easy reach. Upon the back of her shell, however, was her paired katanas; neatly housed in their scabbards.  
  
Leo silently allowed Ramiela to hold her position for a while. He knew that, true to her nature, she would soon resist. Her teen years had been full of resistance and rebellion. But, hopefully, sooner rather than later, it would be all behind her.  
  
Leo was quite aware of her rising irritation at being kept in her current position. He could sense her impatience at not being dismissed or told she could go her own way. He could tell she was tired and it was obvious by the chorus of groans from her stomach that she was indeed hungry as well.  
  
Kunoichi of the clan Ramiela may be, but she still had a great deal to learn.  
  
Leo then turned and lit a few candles on the table by his chair. Resuming his position, he watched as Ramiela began to squirm under the stress of being kept in her submissive pose. Observing her, he knew she had much potential. Leo smiled inwardly. As she became increasingly restless, however, he glared at her; his expression hard and penetrating.  
  
Sensing his disdain, Ramiela gulped and became still once again. She lowered her head just a little bit in her attempt to appease him. Though she was clearly irritated with being kept from food and sleep, she felt regret at causing her sensei to scowl at her.  
  
"You have much to learn regarding discipline, Ramiela. The heart and mind of a ninja must be united if they are to have harmony and achieve their goal at being invisible."  
  
"I'm aware of that Sensei" she replied humbly. She tried to sound as respectful as she could towards him.  
  
"How aware, Ramiela? It seems to me that you have much to learn. You bow respectfully before me but at the same time you can't wait to get out of my presence," Leo pointed out. Keeping his fingers steepled under his chin, he slowly drummed them together as he waited for her response.  
  
Ramiela sighed. She couldn't dispute his words because they were true.  
  
"Sumimasen ga Sensei" she stated contritely, feeling suddenly very unworthy. Sensei had a way of doing that to her. She knew he deserved the utmost respect, especially now that he was Jonin.  
  
Over the past few years Splinter's mind had become forgetful of many things. The revered rat was now far too old to be capable of leading the clan anymore. It was a sad day when the decision had been made to remove him from his longstanding position within the family. But it was one that was made out of necessity. Fortunately, Splinter stepped down gracefully and was now enjoying a life of leisure and being doted on for all of his needs.  
  
As usual Rama's thoughts of Splinter and his almost rapid decline were unsettling to her. She dreaded the day that she knew was fast approaching. She wished that the old ninja Master could be around to share his wisdom for years to come. But she knew deep in her heart that it would probably not be.  
  
Leo sensed the changes in her attitude and behavior. Now her body and mind were in agreement; she was right where he had wanted her.  
  
"To be ninja Ramiela one must be strong; one must know, one must dare, and one must keep silent." Leo paused for a moment allowing her to think of what he had just said. Then he continued, "I want you to reflect on this and what it means."  
  
"Hai Sensei" Ramiela agreed willingly.  
  
Leo grinned "To that end you will spend a day in meditation and fasting in your bedroom."  
  
"WHAT?" Ramiela sprang to her feet, all thoughts of propriety disappearing quickly, "I'll starve" she protested loudly, her facial expression one of shock and surprise.  
  
Leo scowled at her, saying softly, "No one has ever starved in a single day, Ramiela. I will permit you a pitcher of ice water and a glass. You may come out three times only to use the washroom if necessary but otherwise you will sit on your bed and meditate."  
  
"Why am I being punished? I didn't do anything!" Rama complained defensively, nearly trembling from her emotions.  
  
Leo looked surprised, "You are not being punished Ramiela. A day of fasting and meditation will be good for you." His expression changed, though, as he warned her, "However, I will punish you if you permit yourself to be side tracked by any number of distractions in your room. This includes music, playing on your computer or anything else other then meditating."  
  
"NO music?" Ramiela wailed, almost whining, "And you're saying I'm not being punished here? Sure feels like it to me." She snapped crossing her arms over her plastron in near defiance.  
  
Leo had been expecting a bit of a fight from her on this assignment. He would have been worried if she went along with it meekly. But there was a lesson here for her to learn and Leo was not going to give in to her. He spoke up with a voice that was hard and firm, "You have your assignment, Kunoichi." He remained unmoved before her; his gaze steady and determined.  
  
Realizing that her sensei was quite serious, Ramiela made a low growling noise of irritation deep in her throat. She asked, restating his request, "I have to meditate ALL day?"  
  
Leo knew she was hoping for a light sentence "A full twenty four hours and no falling asleep either" Leo replied as he stood up, holding her hard gaze with his own penetrating stare. He saw her lip curl, but finally and ever so reluctantly she bowed, "Hai Sensei."  
  
Leo smiled a little as he watched Rama retrieve her jug of water and a glass after using the washroom. His student was smart enough to realize that by using the facility before entering her bedroom, she would still have three more breaks at her disposal. It would be most interesting to see what she would learn from this lesson he had assigned her. Leo knew that Ramiela would need both discipline and focus to pull it off. He also knew that she had not given him as hard a time as she would if it had been Mike asking her to do this. Ramiela would have probably battled her father over it for most of the day before complying.  
  
Leo mused silently to himself that being Sensei certainly had its benefits. Ramiela went to her room and sat the jug and glass on her bedside table. A dark scowl of discontent was evident on her face. She paced her room in frustration. Gesturing wildly with her arms, she grouched under her breath, "If Sensei had this lesson or punishment or WHATEVER already planned out, it's a pretty good bet that Dad and Cathy will be keeping Tyler away from my room. At least until it's over!"  
  
Silently to herself, Ramiela thought ruefully, "Great! The one time I wouldn't mind my kid brother bugging me and you can bet it ain't gonna happen." Rama snorted irritably, "And why can't I just use the meditation room? Why do I have to do it for an entire day? 'Oh, it's not punishment, Ramiela.' Right! I get no food, no fun, and no sleep but I'm not being punished. I – don't- think - so!"  
  
As she flopped down on her bed Rama's stomach growled in agreement. She stared sullenly up at the concrete pipe ceiling, her hands clasped behind her head.  
  
"How am I even supposed to concentrate while I am dying of hunger?" She groaned miserably.  
  
All things considered, Ramiela knew it was going to be a very long and boring day.  
  
Finally realizing she didn't have a choice she sat up feeling utterly defeated. Pulling her legs into the lotus position Rama closed her eyes and took a long deep breath, slowly expelling the air. She tried to relax and focus on being ninja the way her sensei had prescribed to her.  
  
Yep, this was definitely going to be one trying day; probably the longest in her short kunoichi life ******  
  
As the day wore on Rama became very much aware of her hunger. However, the cold water was useless in easing the growls of protest in her empty stomach.  
  
"If only I could get out to the kitchen to grab a quick bite of food on the sly. "She wondered silently.  
  
However, Rama ditched that idea almost immediately. It was highly unlikely she would make it to the living room without being seen. Her stomach's constant complaints would be a sure giveaway to her presence. Besides she was also very much aware that her father and uncles were keeping watch over her. Several times she had sensed them drawing near to her bedroom door to check up on her. It was obvious that they had the responsibility to see that she was obeying Sensei's orders.  
  
Rama poured herself yet another glass of water and sipped at it. So far she only had one bathroom break, and it was only late morning.  
  
"Water; plain ordinary water is just so very boring." she grumbled to herself. Meditating was even worse. It wasn't her style to spend an entire day at 'clearing her mind' and meditating. She turned and glanced over at her stereo system that displayed all of her music.  
  
"Maybe I could play something to meditate with where I wouldn't be tempted to sing? Sensei, wouldn't mind that, would he?" she asked herself.  
  
But Rama knew even as she thought it that Sensei would mind. He had made it quite clear what was expected of her. She had learned long ago that it wasn't wise to incur Sensei's wrath. Somehow whenever he became mad at her she felt like she had let the clan down. It was a feeling she didn't much care for.  
  
"Guess it's best to stick to the meditation without livening it up." She counseled herself.  
  
She quickly returned to her position and relaxed back into meditation once again.  
  
The act of meditation was supposed to make one more aware of their surroundings. Its purpose was to help clear ones mind so they could be more sensitive to things unseen. However, a while later after her second glass of water Ramiela felt something strange. Knowing it wasn't likely to be a threat, she chose to ignore it. She decided it was more of a passing feeling or something else connected with this forced assignment.  
  
After a while she felt a peculiar tingling on and around her body. It lasted for only a moment or two but that was all. More than likely her limbs were protesting at being kept in one position for so long.  
  
However, the next thing that she was aware of was she found herself standing in the kitchen. Fortunately no one else was there at the moment. Rama could hear the slow distinctive ticking of the kitchen clock which, when she looked at it, read one thirty five. Then, she heard the low hum of the fridge and after that some voices floating in from the living room. Rama's interest sharpened up at that. She knew exactly who it was that was talking. It was her dad and Sensei!  
  
"I got to hand it to you Leo I figured for sure she'd be blasting her music by now."  
  
"You don't give her enough credit Mike."  
  
"No I just know that's what I would be doing."  
  
Rama glanced around the familiar kitchen. She wondered how she had made it there past Sensei and her dad without being seen. But then her stomach growled once more, distracting her from that thought.  
  
Realizing her good fortune and knowing how busy their home could be, she set about curtailing her immediate hunger. It was best that she took care of it now while no one was around. She'd worry later about how to return to her room with out getting caught. Ramiela made a quick jam sandwich and grabbed a handful of cookies. She took large hungry bites of her meal, chewing fast and swallowing as quickly as possible. It felt so good to have something in her belly. She allowed herself to smile in satisfaction. When she finished the sandwich, she debated making another sandwich. But she erred on the side of caution and decided not to. She had successfully managed to get away with enough now to ease her pangs of hunger. Rama didn't want to press her luck.  
  
The next challenge she had was how to get back into her room without getting caught.  
  
Rama paused to listen to see if the coast was clear. However, she immediately heard someone coming towards the kitchen. It appeared she was too late! With her heart nearly in her throat Rama knew that she was going to be in for it now. Frantically she looked at the clock and noticed that it was a whole eleven minutes since she had found herself in the kitchen.  
  
Then, she heard more voices!  
  
"Hungy mommy. When see Rama?"  
  
"Later, Tyler. Let's get you and I a snack, okay?"  
  
It was Rama's little brother and Cathy. Her step-mom was approaching the kitchen faster than she would be able to hide! Ramiela was trapped and she was going to get caught for sure. There wasn't any escape out of this; not easily anyway. She suddenly felt her hurried meal rise in a lump to her throat, but she forced it back down before it could dislodge.  
  
Rama's heart raced in anxiety as she scanned the area for some other means of hiding or escaping. But even with being a kunoichi, she knew she was out of time.  
  
"I need to get back to my room NOW!" She thought in near panic; her heart racing in anxiety. Suddenly she felt a strange tingly feeling all over her body again. Startled, she snapped her eyes open, glancing around almost frantically. It was then she realized that she was still sitting in the lotus position on her bed. The strange sensations that she felt told her that parts of her body had probably gone to sleep. That must have been what had happened.  
  
She looked at her clock on her stereo and saw that it was one forty eight. Fortunately her stomach had finally given up protesting its lack of food. It probably realized that the complaints weren't getting it anywhere.  
  
"I must have fallen asleep and dreamt it. I mean, there is no possible way for me to get to the kitchen and back here without being seen - and I am being watched by the family to ensure I behave, too!"  
  
Another realization passed over her as well, "Darn good thing none of them bothered to look in here recently or they would have caught me napping."  
  
As she thought about it she realized an important fact, "All the meditation and the short nap did make me feel a little more refreshed, though. I must have dozed off and dreamt that I was stealing food."  
  
She then reminded herself, "I better stay awake for the rest of it, though, or I am so going to be in for it from Sensei."  
  
******  
  
At the twenty-four hour mark, Leo knocked at her bedroom door and then entered Ramiela's bedroom. He knew that Rama had spent the entire day in there, coming out only the three times she was allowed to. Leo had sensed that during her time in meditation she had pretty much stayed focused on the task at hand. He and his brothers had ensured that Rama's mental focus for the most part was directed on deeper things rather than the usual thoughts of day to day life.  
  
Rama opened her eyes almost as soon as her sensei entered, confirming that she was awake and aware of him coming close to her.  
  
"Looks like you've survived your day of enlightenment" Leo mocked gently.  
  
Rama nodded "Hai Sensei" she agreed.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked her, his eyes bright in anticipation.  
  
"All right I guess. I'm not as tired or as hungry as I thought I would be. More refreshed" She admitted simply. Then she gave him a strange look "You didn't want me in the meditation room for a reason; probably because there aren't enough things to distract me in there."  
  
Leo smiled a little and nodded "Go on."  
  
"A ninja has to often deal with all kinds of distractions going on around them. But no matter what those distractions are, the ninja has to focus on the job at hand."  
  
Leo grinned, "Very good Ramiela. You finally do realize and accept that this was just a simple exercise in discipline and focusing. I know it wasn't going to be easy but you did a wonderful job" Leo squeezed her shoulder gently "We will talk later about what you've learned from it and what you've gained from the meditation. For now, though, why don't you get yourself something to eat and a few hours sleep. I'm sure you will be grateful for both."  
  
Rama considered telling Sensei of her one brief lapse when she had fallen asleep and dreamt about being in the kitchen. The dream had been so real. But she knew that some dreams often had that quality to them so she shrugged it off. What Sensei didn't know wouldn't hurt him, anyway. ******  
  
It was a few weeks later and Ramiela was patrolling again. Everything was quiet for a change. Of course the torrential downpour of rain might have had something to do with the light criminal activity for that evening.  
  
Rama was now more aware of how such things could be distracting. From her experience with the meditative exercise that Sensei had imposed upon her, she had learned to maintain a certain amount of concentrated focus when she patrolled through her watch. It seemed the lesson she had learned weeks earlier did have its uses after all.  
  
She eventually realized that it was her choice to be distracted by the little things or to keep her mind on the task at hand. As a ninja she much preferred staying alert and aware of what she was meant to do, anyway, so she ignored the miserable weather.  
  
As she walked along the roofline of an apartment building, she felt a familiar tingling over her body. It was very much like what she had experienced a few weeks ago during her meditation lesson. But she dismissed it as a simple chill from being out so long in the inclement weather. Soon enough Rama would be going home.  
  
However, after a while things didn't feel quite right. It was like looking at a picture and knowing that something was wrong and yet she unable to see where the flaw lied. Ramiela finally paused and did a quick meditative exercise to see if it would help her pick up on whatever seemed to be bothering her. She brought in tune those things around her as she heard the distant rumble of thunder. Far across the city a faint stroke of lightening could be seen, illuminating the dark clouds that hung deep over the inky black skyline.  
  
She suddenly noticed a quick flicker out of the corner of one eye. It could have been nothing of importance since it wasn't followed by a similar movement. Yet her keen ninja instincts told her it wasn't her imagination or her eyes playing tricks on her. She knew it was trouble.  
  
Rama gave a small smile and masked her thoughts. She continued moving, hoping to draw out into the open whoever was following her and thereby revealing them selves. She did every thing she could to not betray the fact that she was aware of them and their actions.  
  
But her followers must have guessed that she was on to them for they moved in to surround her. They soon closed in from all sides, trapping her in the middle.  
  
Six Foot soldiers were dressed in their dogi hoods that covered their faces. They wore the red bandana with the dragon emblem on it. The dragon dogi were the mark of the Elite and not the lower ranking Foot.  
  
Rama reached over her shoulders and drew up her katanas.  
  
"So, tell me what the Elite up to tonight before they decided to come and harass me?" she asked sarcastically, knowing full well that Sensei would be interested in an answer to that question. Of course Ramiela really didn't expect a reply from them so she wasn't that upset when they didn't give her one.  
  
She braced herself, taking a defensive stance as the Foot reached for their weapons. All of them carried swords of one size or another.  
  
Suddenly a large boom from a thunder clap caused Rama to realize that the rain and the quick moving storm might cause further distractions that could lead to mistakes. Considering she was greatly outnumbered, Ramiela knew she could not afford to make even one this time. She quickly focused her mental energy and skills. Ramiela channeled them to assist her focus on the duty at hand and to help determine her adversary's moves. She had little time for anything else as the Foot began to charge towards her.  
  
She noted that the strange tingling effect seemed to have increased in only a few moments. However, she ignored it figuring it was the result of the electrical storm. Instead she concentrated her attention on what mattered most; repelling the now advancing attack.  
  
As two Elite Foot came at her with their swords drawn, Ramiela raised her katanas and blocked their blows. She turned her body so her hard carapace could deflect some of the other strikes. It was far better for her shell to be scratched than to have her attackers drawing blood so soon in the battle. The ensuing strikes from her adversaries were swift and forceful, but she continued to block them as her own energies intensified.  
  
The driving rain made it hard to see but Rama wasn't using her eyes to locate her enemies. Rather she was using an almost meditative state to pinpoint them. She maneuvered a quick three-sixty, leaping up and doing a swift tornado kick in her attempt to force some of her attackers back. It was a long enough counter attack but it didn't work as well as she had hoped. The Elite who were knocked away were up and back in the attack faster than she could prepare her strike. It seems as if they had expected such a move from her. They were more prepared!  
  
Rama was then forced to parry and deflect but she wasn't getting many chances to do much else. With so many of the Elite gathered around her, the numbers seemed overwhelming.  
  
A single Elite soldier took his sword and, missing her arm, managed to cut off her belt, the force of the action flinging it far and away from her. Rama bristled at that. She hated losing her weapons and now she had lost her sais and all of her smaller equipment with that one strike. Hopefully she would be able to get them back after she successfully made it out of this mess.  
  
"Okay that is IT! No more nice turtle" she growled at the Elite. With a swing of one katana she managed to block an Elite's blow and then at the same time with her other sword cut a deep gash along the stomach of another. Blood oozed freely from the wound, causing the soldier to stumble back and away from the fight.  
  
A sudden flash of lightening illuminated the dark sky and showed the injured Elite backing off and heading out. He was probably going to return to headquarters for medical aid but to also call in reinforcements. That only meant Rama had to get out of there and fast, too.  
  
The remaining soldiers seemed to rally against her. But a lucky strike by one put a sword into her right arm. Rama winced and then glanced at it to try and figure out how bad of a wound it was. It was both deep enough and long enough that she knew it wouldn't stop bleeding on its own. Continuing to move her arm would only make it worse, too. The most that she could hope was for the driving rain to at least wash the wound to some extent.  
  
Rama was now fully aware that, because of her injury, it would be harder for her to use the katana she wielded in her right hand. There wasn't anything that could be done for it now other than blocking out the pain and fighting onward. She would have to compensate with the left sword as much as possible.  
  
Ramiela ducked her head into her shell as someone tried taking a swing at her neck. She moved her right katana and thrust it backward and knew instantly that she had scored a killing blow with that strike. She felt the blade of her weapon pierce the soft tissue of her attacker as it quickly sank deep into his torso. A soft moan escaped his covered mouth and then he fell to the floor of the battle field, still and no longer among the living.  
  
Removing her weapon and seeing the glistening blood on the katana, she prepared for the next attack. She held it up defensively. The heavy rain washed some of the red off of the blade, staining the ground at Rama's feet. But, no sooner had she noticed this than the others were rushing upon her with a vengeance.  
  
There were only four Elite Foot left to go but they were taking their toll on her. Despite trying to do as much harm to them as possible, Rama was unable to block all of their strikes or hits. Repeatedly they managed to cut her; the cuts weren't deep but collectively they were sapping her energies. She was already bleeding from the numerous sword wounds on her arms and legs. If she suffered any more injuries, Rama would have to contend with debilitating blood loss as well.  
  
She heard the thunder and saw the lightening as the storm continued to gain strength. It closed in on her location rapidly as the battle echoed along the rooftops. Even the rain seemed to be coming down harder than before, if such a thing were possible.  
  
In moments Rama's adversaries disarmed her of the right katana, leaving her with only one sword to defend and protect her self with. She was now out of her depth in the fight and realized that fact almost too late. Knowing she needed assistance, Rama mentally sent an urgent call for help to her family in desperation. But she knew that even if they heard and moved at top speed, it was probably going be far too late for her. Though her courage was great and her training thorough, a small need to panic crept up towards her conscious mind. However, Rama forced that thought away, focusing instead on the task at hand.  
  
"Center your thoughts, girl. Concentrate on the here and now! You can't afford to make any more mistakes." she warned herself.  
  
Her subconscious, however, was not so easily rid of the thought of her eminent death looming so near.  
  
"Got to get home, got to get safe. Get away far from fighting. Family protection. Away. Out of danger!" Her subconscious began to say over and over.  
  
Because of her training, Rama was unaware of the wild panic growing deep inside her own mind. Instead she was remaining focused on the immediate situation, knowing full well that one sword against four was not the best of odds. Yet she had to concentrate on her ninjitsu skills or things could get worse - and quickly, too.  
  
Without warning a pair soldiers struck out at her head using their fists and feet. They caught Rama on both side of her cranium while she was forced to deflect a sword strike in front of her. The hit dazed her momentarily and in that instant of distraction the Foot relieved her of her last and final weapon.  
  
Rama now felt a whimper escape her throat as she stood against them with no more then her feet and hands for protection. She knew in her heart that it wouldn't be enough. Especially when she knew that more Foot were probably on their way. She didn't know if her own family had heard her mental cry for help or not, but she had to hope that they did. She also had to fight as if they didn't!  
  
Surrounded by her enemies, Rama did the only thing she could think of. She leaped up high and sailed over them, flipping out of the circle they had formed around her. She would have landed without any further injuries if it hadn't had been for one lucky Foot Soldier. The Elite had raised his sword at just the right moment, slicing a long deep gash down the length of her left leg. Blood sprayed out as a minor vein was nicked, staining the Elite as well as the ground he stood on.  
  
Rama managed to land on both feet and whirl to face her attackers. But her afflicted appendage protested every move she made. She grimaced from the pain and worried about how badly it was bleeding. But she had to mentally force even that back and away from her immediate thoughts. If she was going to die then she was going to do so willingly and in battle. Her death would then be an honorable one that her family would be able to accept. She might have lost all else but she still had her honor. Rama waited patiently for the remaining Foot to move in and attack.  
  
The Elite had to be aware of the situation she was in. Without weapons and bleeding profusely from her many wounds, Rama seemed like easy pickings. It would only be a matter of time, now, she thought to herself.  
  
She tried to gain strength from the electric current in the air that moved around and about her as if she were collecting energy for her last stand. She felt the familiar tingling again and instead of ignoring it, she embraced it. In that moment, however, she noticed the Foot drawing back a step or two. It seemed odd. Was it possible they were going to retreat now? Rama doubted that, it didn't make sense so she watched them warily for their next act. As she backed away from them as well, her tingling seeming to become stronger with each step she took.  
  
Suddenly the energy around her seemed to have become much stronger. Rama felt the hair on her head nearly rise from the effect, tickling her scalp as it did so. Then, without warning, a flash of lightening struck close by the battlefield. The remaining Elite dove further back and out of harms way. At the same time Rama also jumped as best she could, but in the opposite direction. With the energy discharge being all too close for comfort, the combatants barely avoided being hit.  
  
This, of course, only intensified Rama's need to get away. She felt her rising panic and the electrical current merge as her mind screamed, "DANGER! Got to get out NOW! "  
  
In the next moment she the familiar tingling sensation increase in strength, seeming to envelope and surround her completely. Then, as if in a dream, she felt like she was being removed from the rooftop itself. She saw the battlefield fall away as her body seemed to be pulled up into the air. From her observation, the Foot were fading from view and appeared confused by all that had just transpired.  
  
However, what was most clearly evident was Rama's fast approaching family. She tried to call out to them, but no sound would come from her mouth. She shook her head at the impossibility of her situation. Rama's heart ached to stay so that she could help fight and be with those that loved her.  
  
Yet, what was happening couldn't be. It was all too surreal. In that moment, she believed her experience was due to her loss of blood and battle fatigue, not to mention the many blows to her head. It was the best explanation she could think of regarding her current situation.  
  
Then Ramiela briefly thought back to the 'dream' she had when she meditated for those twenty-four hours only a few weeks before. The tingling sensations she felt at that time were all too familiar with the ones she was currently experiencing now. But before she could figure it out or realize what was probably happening, Ramiela felt inky blackness envelope her mind and body. Fatigued and having lost too much blood, Rama let go and finally gave in completely to an overwhelming unconsciousness. TBC 


	2. The Rescuer

As fun as it would be, neither Ramica nor I own any mutant turtles that wear colorful bandannas or obsess over martial arts. Ramica owns Ramiela/Rama and I own Gabriella/Gabby and any offspring that she has with Seth. Gary is Ramica's character, too. Please read and review!  
  
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Chapter 2 – The Rescue  
  
Regaining consciousness in a back alley, she looked around confused and dazed. She was lying on her side, her left arm supporting her head while her right arm lay bleeding down in front of her. Trying to sit up she shook her head to rid herself of the fog that still clung to her mind. However, she soon discovered that any slight movement was enough to cause her cranium to ache and her stomach to lurch wildly.  
  
Glancing down she noticed the many wounds on her body and wondered how she had managed to get them. There were wounds on her arms, her legs, and her plastron. But any thought that required speculation as to how she came to be that way caused the pounding in her head to intensify.  
  
While in a sitting position she carefully reached up with one hand to gingerly touch the side of her head. She felt her arm protest madly, but ignored it for the time being. However, as her fingertips carefully explored her temple she immediately winced, drawing in a sharp breath as she felt a new and intense type of pain. It hurt so much that she couldn't help but cry just a little.  
  
She felt weak, tired and sick to her stomach. Despite the pain, though, she was able to glance up only to see a host of tall buildings surrounding her. Yet, even with her befuddled mind, she knew from the amount of sunlight which seeped between the edifices that it had to be the middle of the day. Almost on instinct alone she knew that it wasn't safe to be out in the open like this. She had an almost crazed desire to go and hide.  
  
She looked around desperately and saw a manhole cover only a few feet away from where she was. For some odd reason it seemed familiar and created in her a feeling of safety and comfort. It almost called for her to hurry up.  
  
Yes down there under the streets was her home. She was able to recollect that much. She also remembered that her name was Ramiela. But that was all that came to her confused mental state for the moment.  
  
She slowly forced herself up onto her feet as she pushed back against the wall of the building that was behind her. Struggling with every movement that caused her body to almost scream in agony, she hugged the scant shadows afforded there. Ramiela found that even the hairs on her head seemed to hurt! But no matter how cautious and hesitant she was as she moved, the pounding in her head resonated all the more.  
  
Then she noticed one of her legs was barely able to hold her upright. As she looked closer Ramiela realized then the severe gash running down it. It had already begun to crust over but in moving it the wound had broken open, allowing a fresh flow of blood to run. In that instant she suffered a quick attack of vertigo and leaned against the wall. She begged for the spinning motion to stop. Ramiela then felt her stomach lurch once again, but swallowed back the bile that attempted escape.  
  
She hurt so much she was finding it difficult to focus. Just standing up had been physically exhausting for her which made the manhole cover seem miles away from where she was. Even if Rama had somehow managed to reach it, her weakened state would have prohibited her from lifting the heavy lid. Even attempting to maneuver down into the sewers below would be difficult if not impossible for her. But as she studied the emblem on the cover, she could just vaguely read the NYC lettering. New York City! Yes this was her home. Ramiela had family here, she knew that much, but at the present moment she couldn't name a single one of them. She only knew that she had a family.  
  
But her head hurt too much to think straight. All she wanted to do was to sleep – and in the worst possible way, too.  
  
Before giving in to it though she knew she would have to hide somewhere. It was more like a feeling she knew instinctively rather than understanding the reasons for it. Glancing around uncertainly she noticed a fire escape and some large boxes piled up underneath it. It was only a few steps from where she stood presently and she felt that the boxes would provide her with at least a little bit of cover. It might not have been the best place but under the circumstances Ramiela wasn't about to be too picky. Considering her choices, it would have to be enough.  
  
However, she found that even walking those few meager steps was a challenge in and of it self. It was closer than the sewer cover, but 'closer' seemed to be a relative term. She staggered almost drunkenly towards her sanctuary, nearly keeling over at one point. If it weren't for the wall she hugged protectively she would most certainly have fallen.  
  
Finally reaching her destination, Ramiela managed to move some of the boxes around to create an enclosure. She made an opening and then eased in under the fire escape. She pulled the opening closed and, with much effort, dragged some of the other boxes around her. She hoped it would be sufficient to conceal her from any prying eyes before allowing sleep to overtake her.  
  
However in her debilitated state she didn't notice the trail of blood she left behind. Ramiela was unaware that the crimson stain on the alleyway floor and the blood smeared boxes led right to where she was hiding.  
  
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Gary was stressed almost to irritability. He had to get away somewhere if only to catch a breather from the hustle and bustle of the office. A few minutes of solitude to regain his composure and he'd be ready to return to work. He only had about fifteen minutes for his coffee break, but it would have to suffice.  
  
As Gary entered the alley he was deep in thought about what was going on back at the office. The entire place was in a state of panic. Upper management had received notice just that morning that the new owner was coming in that day. He was interested in meeting with them and to ensure that all work was going as planned. The owner was known for his surprise visits, so the fact that a call was even made to the office that morning to warn of his impending stop was thought to be considerate.  
  
Gary couldn't understand what all the fuss was about. He had met the owner early on shortly after the man had bought the company. The impression that Gary had of him was he really didn't seem all that bad. Considering the man had taken a struggling business and turned things around for the better said a lot for him. Since Don Tello had taken over the company there had been some changes but nothing that major. If anything, the changes he made were helping the company to get back up onto its feet again, proving he had a sharp but fair business sense. And yet Tello was not a man to be trifled with. Maybe that was why Gary's manager was having a fit with everything?  
  
Thinking about the owner, Gary knew he wasn't really a man in the truest sense of the word. Mr.Tello was probably one of the most unique, if not richest beings on the planet. He was all in all a very interesting individual to be sure. Still Gary couldn't blame management for feeling a little edgy about the meeting. They owed Don Tello a whole lot. Without his ideas for bettering the company, most of those in managerial positions would have been out of a job long ago.  
  
As the young man mulled over those events, he noticed almost casually the blood in the alley.  
  
"Great, probably a drunk beaten up or something," he muttered grimly to himself.  
  
He then noticed the pile of cardboard containers, "Bet he's sleeping it off behind those boxes."  
  
It was more out of curiosity then anything else that caused Gary to step forward and to check it out. If the supposed drunk was dead, then Gary knew he would have to call the police. If he wasn't but he was injured, then – again – the police would have to be called. Either way, Gary knew it was the right thing to do.  
  
He had to pull a couple of the boxes out of the way to see the 'drunk', but as he did so he gasped sharply at what he saw next.  
  
Lying behind one of the cartons was a humanoid turtle. It was plain to see that the being was badly hurt. One look at all the bleeding cuts and gashes was all it took to prove that point. However, it appeared as if it were sleeping.  
  
Gary paused, a horrified feeling grabbing a hold of him, "Wait a sec. What if she isn't sleeping but..." he didn't bother finishing that thought. When he glanced down, he noticed the slow rise and fall of its chest. He breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that it was alive. But then he realized another interesting factor. By its contoured shape and obvious feminine build, he knew that it was female.  
  
Suddenly her eyes snapped opened and, catching sight of the human, she uttered a muffled cry, scrambling to her feet in a desperate attempt to get away. But she seemed to only become tangled in among the boxes, sinking back down quickly before she even had a chance to get up.  
  
"Go away. Leave me alone, Baka" she spoke weakly but sharply to him.  
  
Gary backed off and recognized that she needed help – and desperately, too. He knew that. He hurried back down the alleyway and out onto the pedestrian walk. In a moment he was running through an employee entrance of his office building next door to inform one of the supervisors of the situation. This creature was in desperate need of medical help and he felt that time was of the essence.  
  
Of course with the office in the state it was today it took a while for him to track down someone who would be of any help. When he did find his boss and the head supervisor, they were in the main lobby. Gary saw that they were all ready in the midst of greeting Mr. Tello, who had just arrived.  
  
Gary knew that Mr. Tello would be interested in what he had found in the alley and so, without waiting for an introduction, he brazenly spoke up. Speaking quickly, Gary said, "Mr. Tello sir, please forgive me for interrupting, but I believe that one of your family members might be hurt in the back alley."  
  
That seemed to get everyone's attention. While his employers only turned a scowling look at the employee, Mr. Tello seemed to have a rather skeptical expression on his face. The announcement by this low-end worker seemed rather incredible; he didn't quite believe what this young man was telling him.  
  
"A family member of mine?" he asked suspiciously. His voice was calm with just a hint of doubt.  
  
Gary replied nervously, "Well, sir, there seems to be a distinct family resemblance, if you get my drift? She, at least I think it's a she, is bleeding quite badly." He shifted from one foot to the other nervously. He knew he was treading on thin ice as he noticed the narrowing of not only his boss's eyes, but Mr. Tello's, too. He had heard that Mr. Tello was an individual who was quite careful with whom he trusted and entrusted. He did not tolerate well anyone who would play around with him.  
  
Gary could see Mr. Tello considering these words and then, as if coming to a well thought out decision, demanded, "Show me."  
  
Gary nodded, saying, "Yes, sir, right this way!" and led them all out of the office and back to the alley. He could feel his boss's hard penetrating gaze on his back. Gary wondered how soon he would be reprimanded for interrupting them with the new owner.  
  
The worker gestured towards the jumble of boxes and mumbled, "She's under the fire escape over there."  
  
A weak exhausted voice from that direction floated towards them "Go away bakas, just leave me be!" Her words seemed to have more strength then the tone itself.  
  
Don tried to keep from laughing as he heard the Japanese insult. He highly doubted any of the people with him would recognize the word or even know its translation for that matter. But he knew it. Whoever was speaking might be weak and badly hurt but they obviously had some spunk left in them. Don glanced at the signs of blood in the alley. It was quite possible that the being was seriously injured. But he also knew that some wounds, even though superficial, insisted on bleeding profusely. The amount of blood that stained the alleyway and the boxes suggested that this might be the case.  
  
Assessing the weakness in her voice, he mentally reached out with his senses. They were on high alert, allowing him to perceive that whoever was hiding was in a much weakened state, both physically and mentally. Don also sensed this being was desperately trying to hide. He could easily discern her panic.  
  
Knowing there was no threat to him he walked over and gently removed a few of the boxes. He heard a slight struggling sound coming from underneath; then a small whimper of defeat. "No, please, just leave me alone." The voice was nearly breaking and it tore at his heart as a result.  
  
He was determined to find out what this was all about. He knew for a fact that whoever or whatever was under these boxes was not a member of his family. He knew that other mutants of their gene pool were rare, almost unheard of. In fact the only other mutant he had ever met outside of his brothers was Rahab. She was a mutant iguanid female who had come into his family's life some twenty-nine years earlier. Through a series of events and relationships, she ended up becoming Mike's wife. Her children through Mike and two of his other brothers added much to Don's family. Outside of them, however, there weren't any others.  
  
Finally Don removed enough boxes to lay eyes on the injured creature for the first time. He had seen too much in his life to be shocked easily. But what he saw next now caused him to straighten up in surprise. His eyes went wide and a small smile of intrigue slowly creased his face.  
  
What lay before him was the most startling discovery he had ever made. It wasn't the injuries he spotted first but the safety pads and the aqua bandanna around her head. That alone reminded him of his own youth so many decades before.  
  
Now he and his family preferred to wear clothes on occasion so that they would fit in better among the humans they worked or crossed paths with. They had given up their disguises long ago in favor of the more socially acceptable attire.  
  
Quickly looking around the area of this young female, Don half expected to see some sort of weapon nearby. But there wasn't any. Considering her many wounds, it was obvious to him that she had been in a fight but had been the worse for wear because of it. By the injuries alone Don knew exactly what had made them. He scowled at the memories they conjured up. Still, it was certain that she was in deed a mutant turtle and very similar to him in many ways. He then noticed that she was now struggling to stand up.  
  
Crouching down to reduce his size and to appear less threatening, Don spoke in a firm but gentle voice, "Lay still, my dear. You have been badly hurt and you need help."  
  
She ceased struggling at the sound of his voice. She studied for a moment the one that stooped before her. Then, looking up at him through narrow pain filled eyes, she grumbled weakly but sarcastically, "Well – duh - it doesn't take a genius to know that I'm hurt."  
  
Don ignored the insulting remark, "I want to help you. My name is Don and I'm going to see to it that your wounds are treated and cared for. What's your name?" he hoped at least that she did have a name. If not then he'd have to come up with something to call her for the time being.  
  
"Ramiela." She then noticed the small knot of people just up the alleyway. In a voice near to breaking and filled with panic, she begged, "Please, I can't be with people. They'll hurt me. I have to hide."  
  
Don could see she was fighting to stay conscious. He could also sense her fear and uncertainty. But he also knew that she was fighting a loosing battle. Don realized that she wouldn't be able to stay awake much longer.  
  
"I give you my word, Ramiela, that no one will hurt you. You do not have to hide either; not while you are with me or my family." Don vowed, "You will be well cared for."  
  
He wondered silently who this mutant really was, where she had come from and most importantly how had she ended up being this badly hurt in the first place.  
  
Ramiela looked up at him and thought that he appeared vaguely familiar. "Should I know him?" she asked herself. But as she tried to remember, she felt the blissful cloak of darkness come over her and in the next instant she was out cold. 


	3. Intriguing Revelations

_Ramica and I do not own anything remotely similar to the TMNT's.  We don't, we won't, we can't, and – well – that's about it, I guess.  Sad, isn't it?  Hmm…_

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**Chapter Three – Intriguing Revelations**

Being careful with her injuries Don gathered Ramiela into his arms and easily stood up.  He had noticed moments earlier her head of hair which had obviously been pulled back at one point. It was currently disheveled and out of sorts.  But once he had her in his arms, he saw almost immediately that Ramiela sported five digits on both hands and feet.  He furrowed his eye ridge contemplatively, realizing that this mutant turtle was a hybrid and more than likely half human!  Studying her face quickly he saw more obvious signs of this fact.  His intrigue only intensified.  Don was painfully aware that humans and mutant turtles – namely, he and his three brothers – were incapable of having offspring together.  His excitement grew at the possibility that somehow somewhere a successful mating of the two species had happened, producing the one he now carried.

Looking at Ramiela's unconscious form he was determined to keep his promise to her.  Observing the type of wounds that marred her body and the amount of blood loss that she had sustained, Don figured it was just good fortune that the girl had been found when she had.   Yet he had to smile at the recent memory of her insult.  Even in her weakened condition, the spirit she displayed then had shown courage.  It was obvious that this mutant would not give into death easily.  But what were obvious to him were the many scars she had.  It only proved that Ramiela was battle savvy.  Considering how long it had been since he or his brothers had to deal with such a lifestyle, her mystery only intensified Don's commitment to keep her safe.  

But right now she needed immediate medical attention and the sooner the better.  

Don turned and saw that a crowd had gathered at the alleyway entrance. It was obvious they were curious about what was going on.  Realizing that his meeting for the day was now irrelevant he addressed the team of office managers who stood nearby, "Gentleman, I must apologize, but our meeting will have to be postponed."  He looked directly at the corporate manager and, nodding towards Ramiela's sleeping form, explained, "This one here is my first priority."

Though Don was in a hurry he noticed the manager, Peter, shoot an almost venomous glare towards the worker who had brought Ramiela to their attention. Don knew instantly what had to be on the manager's mind.  But there wasn't any need for the courageous worker to suffer retribution for interrupting the meeting.  

First taking a moment by making eye contact with the manager, Don then turned and gave a subtle bow towards the worker who had discovered Ramiela, saying, "I appreciate what you have done this day.  I'm afraid that I am at a disadvantage, though.  I didn't quite catch your name."

Noticing his boss's surprised expression, the worker looked at Don and answered, "Gary.  Gary Larson, sir."

Don smiled at the young man and said, "Many people Mr. Larson, wouldn't have bothered getting involved the way you did today." Looking at the manager briefly and then back to Gary, Don continued, "Some feel that their personal plans are more important that this.  I believe that all life is valuable and I am pleased that by your actions you affirm that belief as well.  You should be commended for what you did on behalf of Ramiela."  Don hesitated for just a moment to let his comments sink in.  He then turned and addressed the manager, "This young man should be recognized officially by the company as one who espouses the principals of integrity and honor.  Make sure he is also given a $500 bonus."

Gary sucked in his breath in complete surprise, but he couldn't have been more amazed than his manager.  A small smile of relief played out on the young worker's face as he realized he was not going to be reprimanded.   He then saw his chastised boss nod silently towards Don.  

Peter quickly recovered, though, and offered, "Do you wish for us to call an ambulance, Mr. Tello?"

Already striding for the street as the others fell in behind him Don replied over his shoulder, "Thank you, but that won't be necessary.  I have specially trained people who will look after her needs.  I will have them take care of her at my penthouse since it is painfully obvious she is not used to being around humans."  Not wanting to be rude since Don knew Ramiela needed immediate help, he added, "The sooner she gets proper help the better her chances for survival.  Have a good day, gentlemen."

Not knowing how much longer she would be unconscious Don wanted to get Ramiela checked over by his specialist and to have some blood work done to determine her heritage.  It seemed just too incredible that one like this mutant had come along when she had.  

Coming out of the alleyway, he nodded towards Thomas who already had the rear door of the limousine opened to him.  

As always, Don's loyal valet was a step ahead of the situation, instinctively knowing what his employer needed, though not always knowing the reason why.  Being in Don's service for many years, Thomas was quite intuitive to the unspoken requests that were often made by his boss.   Though he was keenly familiar with the whole family, Thomas looked slightly surprised when he saw what Don carried so delicately.

"Sir?" he inquired, his eyebrows raised in astonishment.  He saw the bloody wounds on the young female turtle and grimaced slightly in empathy.  He also noticed her hands and feet, being fully aware of the additional fingers and toes.

"Get us home as quickly as possible Thomas." Don ordered softly.

Giving her a front-facing seat, Don gently lay Ramiela down inside the car.  He ignored the bloody stains her wounds were making on the white leather as he was more concerned with her well being.  He grabbed a small pillow from beneath the seat and gently slipped it under her head.  A light weight blanket was removed from the same compartment and softly draped over her.  Carefully he strapped Ramiela in so she would not shift too much during the ride to the penthouse.  As he gently lifted her so he could snap the seatbelt into its receptacle, Ramiela moaned softly but then became still again.

Don then took the rear facing seat, watching her with a deep concern.  He took his cell phone out of his coat and made a quick call.    When the person on the other end of the phone answered, all Don said was, "Be at the penthouse.  I have an emergency.  I'll be there in ten." Then he slipped the phone back into the inside pocket of his coat. 

As Thomas eased in behind the steering wheel he heard Don instruct, "Please take care in making any turns and in exhilarating.  I do not want her jostled about."  

Throughout the ride to the penthouse, Don was keenly alert to Ramiela's awareness.  Even though she was still unconscious, the young mutant expressed a higher sense of self than even Seth was capable of.  Don was impressed by her discipline and had to admire whomever it was who had trained her.  

Looking at her now crusting wounds, Don knew that she wouldn't have to wait much longer for treatment.  But the quicker it was administered the better for her.  The last thing Don wanted was for Ramiela to wake up prematurely.  Considering how fearful she was of the people back in the alley, it was certain his physicians would not go over well with her.  

By the time Don arrived at the penthouse with Ramiela, the two doctors he had in his employment, Dr. Steward and Dr. Michelson, were all ready there waiting for them.   They had available just about every type of equipment and device that any well provided hospital would have had for such emergencies.  There were I.V. drips, portable monitors to gauge the breathing and heart rhythm, medicinal drugs to ease pain or enhance healing and refrigerated pints of blood donated by all members of Don's family.  Most importantly of all, though, was the two physicians' own expertise – mutant turtle physiology.  

Don was the kind of person who always prepared for the worse but hoped for the best.  Since he had the financial means he was always prepared for whatever came his way.  

Don quickly and carefully took Ramiela into one of the spare bedrooms.  The bed had already been turned down by the housekeeper, who had also been forewarned by Don while he was in route.  He gently placed the mutant down on the crisp white sheets, careful to not disturb her wounds.  One of them was stubbornly refusing to coagulate, however, and readily stained the bedding only seconds after she was down.  

Speaking to one of the physicians, Don requested, "Dr. Steward, I know that she may have lost quite a bit but I will need a vial of blood from her for my labs to test."  

Dr. Steward nodded silently.  Walking over to his bag of supplies, he quickly had a needle ready to go.  Carefully checking Ramiela's arm and after finding a viable spot, Dr. Steward drew 10 cc's of blood from her.  Once the syringe was full, he handed the vial to Don.

"I'll be in my office.  Please report to me before you leave." Don stated before leaving the doctors to do their work. He had a feeling Ramiela wouldn't be waking up for quite a while and hopefully after they were done with her. But, just the same, he would keep his senses alert for any disturbances in her unconsciousness.

Before making his call, Don took a quick shower to rid him self of Ramiela's blood that had managed to get onto him.  He scrubbed well since he didn't have any idea if the fluid was tainted with HIV.  Though his family had higher than normal resistance to such diseases, they were not completely immune.  

When he was toweled off he chose a clean coat from his closet and slipped it on.  His office was next door to his sleeping quarters so it was an easy access for him.  Soon he was dialing a well used number.  After a couple of rings Don heard a familiar voice on the other end.   He smiled at her precise way of introducing herself and where she worked.  When she was done, he went into action.

"Gaele, this is Don.  I'm going to be sending you a blood sample that I've collected.   I want you to break down the DNA and see what you can find.  Check for all diseases but also check to see if it's compatible with our family in any way.  I need the results as soon as possible."

Mike's daughter was well used to Don and his brisk orders and demands. Being in his employment for the past five years had strengthened their friendship, but it also gave her valuable insight as to why her uncle was so successful. He never settled for anything less than perfection and he expected as much from those who worked for him; even from his own niece!

However his comment about the blood's compatibility to her family told Gaele that Don must have come across another mutant.

"May I ask what it is that you've found and whose blood I'm testing?" she inquired.  

"I've come across a badly injured mutant female turtle in a New York alleyway." Don replied simply.

Gaele gasped at that remark.  But her next words surprised Don, "Have you possibly considered that the people who brought Gabby into the world might have had a secondary experiment to fall back on; one that we weren't aware of?  She might be an enemy to us, Don."

He knew that she was referring to Shredder who, years ago, had used the same mutant-inducing chemicals on people that had changed Don and his brothers to what they were now.  In fact, two members of Gaele's family were a result of those experiments.  

One was Gabriella, now married to Gaele's half brother, Seth.  Gabby had been conceived through artificial means, her conception forced upon a disgraced Elite member of the Foot; Cassandra Edwards.  The human had her own physiology changed and altered years earlier by way of DNA collected from Raphael when he had been taken prisoner. It happened shortly after the turtles' second encounter with the Foot.  Years later Raph's frozen sperm, taken at the same time his DNA was harvested, was used to force Cassie to conceive.  The resulting pregnancy brought forth Gabriella.

At the time of Gabby's birth, Professor Jordan Perry had spirited the child away from the Foot.  Had he not done so, that organization would have ultimately raised her to be a superior ninja.   Though supposedly everyone and everything connected with that experiment had burned during a deliberately set fire, it was learned years later that the mother had survived.  During that time, though while Gabby was being raised by the professor, Cassie became Gabriella's and Perry's protector.  She shadowed the two of them for twenty-five years until Gabby came into Don's family's care.  That event was triggered by Perry's cancer, which ultimately took his life.

However, no one in Don's family knew about her except him.   Not even Raphael.  But what had been worse for Gabby, she was completely in the dark about her relationship to any of them – until that fateful day they came to pick her up.  

Don smiled at the memory of Gabby's resistance to them then and where she was now.   Married to Leo's son and a mother of one child with her second one due in just a few short months,  it amazed him how much had happened to her during the past three years.

But, for the moment, Don had more important matters to concern himself with. 

"Gaele, right now she isn't much of a threat to anyone.  For one thing she has been too badly hurt.  Most of the wounds that she has on her look like they were made by a long bladed weapon.  My bet is they were made with a type of sword."  Don gave an almost low chuckle.  "Based on her moxie, though, I'm sure she did as much damage to her attackers as they did to her."  But then he sobered, "However, she seemed quite concerned with being out in public view.  She acted genuinely afraid of people."

"Well if people have hurt her then she would have a good reason to be afraid of them. What else do you know about her?" Gaele inquired as she fished for more information.

"She told me that her name is Ramiela.  I figure she is probably in her late teens early twenties. I haven't stopped to check that yet.  But I also feel that she's a fighter to some extent since she has numerous scars on her body in addition to her more recent wounds."

"Well now that Ramiela's with us she might not have to fight any more. Or at least we can teach her how to protect herself so that she won't give us any legal trouble." Gaele responded with a light laugh.  "I'll keep an eye out for that package and get on it right away, Uncle."

After the phone conversation Don sat back and thought about Ramiela and the memories she had stirred within him.  He scowled and shook his head.  Seeing her with the bandanna on plus her scars as well as the fresh wounds gave him a sense of déjà vu.  It wasn't a pleasant thought at all.

However, he was roused from his musings by a knock on the door.  Dr. Michelson and Dr Steward entered the room.

"We have finished treating her.  We've sewn up some of her more grievous wounds and butterfly bandaged the lesser ones.  She's been cleaned up and is resting comfortably.  We've put her on two I.V's for now with antibiotics to ward off any secondary infections and glucose to replace some of the lost fluids.  We have to make sure the blood we have will be compatible with hers before we do any type of transfusions.  We'll be testing that as soon as we get back to the hospital and then return to recheck her vitals.  She's bound to be a little weak for a day or two, though."

Don nodded as if he had rather suspected as much.

Dr. Michelson added, "She's also most likely suffering from a concussion.  There are two good sized bumps on both sides of her head.  Where she has been unconscious for a while, I suggest to not letting her sleep more than a couple of hours longer. We tried to wake her but she now seems more asleep than before." Dr. Steward scowled as he informed Don of this.

Don remarked, "Well she was conscious for a time when I found her.  She told me her name and we talked.  There didn't seem to be any slurring of speech so I doubt there's anything to worry about just yet."

Dr. Steward commented, "The positive side is her vitals do seem to be a bit stronger now than they were when we first started and there are no broken bones that we were able to detect."

"In other words she will survive her injuries. This is indeed good news." Don said cheerfully.  Then, he instructed the doctors, "Here, take the vial of blood and have it sent to my lab in Connecticut.  I want a personal currier to get it there by this noon.  No excuses!  I don't care if you have to make the run yourself, doctor.  I need the results ASAP!  Now, I think I can take it from here as far as Ramiela is concerned."

"You will want a recheck, right?" Dr. Steward asked, concerned.

"If I feel she is doing worse, I will call you.  Until then, just get the blood sample to my lab."  Don instructed briskly.

Dr. Michelson took the vial from his employer and went to place it in an iced filled cooler.  He returned shortly and then Don saw both doctors out.  He went ahead and dismissed the hired help as well, not wanting to take any chances of their disturbing Ramiela with their presence.

He stood in the foyer contemplating his schedule for the day.  He saw that he was between a rock and a hard place.  Don still had certain business meetings to go to and though some might be put off for awhile, there was one that couldn't be.  But he didn't want to leave Ramiela alone.  Usually he would get a nurse to attend to such matters but this time Don knew that might not be the best thing for the patient. Considering her fear of people, if she were to wake up and see a human she might become panicked and stressed.  It would, in turn, only make her recovery more difficult.

Don also didn't want to risk flying her back to Mike's home in her weakened condition.  True, the family there would be better able to tend to her needs and maybe she would not panic as much.  Of course it was hard to say if she even had anyone like herself wherever it was she called home.  Still, the long trip west might take too much out of her in her debilitated state.  She would need at least two or three days before Don could move her.

That left only one option opened. Don would have to get a member of his family here to help care for Ramiela until she was able to move. Don wasn't going risk harming her health any more than necessary.

Walking towards the room where the mutant rested, Don rubbed his forehead with one hand in frustration.  Hopefully whoever would be able to stay with her would help Ramiela overcome her fear of people.  Considering his own past, he couldn't blame her for distrusting them.  After all if the scars bore witness to how she had been treated by humans, then her fears were not unfounded. 

Don had noticed earlier on the way to the penthouse the scarring on her upper arm and knew by its design that something foreign had been put in there.  On the other arm there seemed to have been a faint remnant of – what?  He had looked closely since it had faded too much for it to be legible.  He dismissed it at the time, more concerned with getting her to his home so she could be treated.

Now, if he had to fathom a guess, it had almost looked like it had been a bar-code. That thought made him straighten up almost immediately.  Had this unfortunate creature been in the care of some lab?  Don scowled at the idea.

If that were true and it probably was considering how she had been virtually unknown to him up to this time, then Don was going to implement a valuable lesson.  The person or persons who had done this to her would regret ever having harmed her in the first place.  He narrowed his eyes angrily at the thought.  Don had many questions and doubts about Ramiela but he was patient and knew that there would be time enough for him to learn what he needed to know.  Regardless of her origins or how she came to be, he would protect her at all cost.  

The only thing that he didn't doubt was he knew Ramiela could fight. Though he had no real proof on that assumption, his gut instincts told him far more than words could.  He had noted her muscular development and knew right away that she was a fighter.  Between the scars again and the hard expression she had, Don could sense that she was well trained.  

However, it bothered him a great deal.  

Many scenarios played out in his quick mind.  Though they were rare, there were still small groups of infidels who delighted in pitting unfortunate animals against each other.  These were fights to the death and all for the sake of gambling over who would come out alive first.  Since Ramiela had never been known to him before today, Don feared that this was where she had earned her battle scars.  Yet, she seemed too tough and arrogant to allow anyone to force her to do anything.  She was such an enigma to him.

But then he chuckled a little.  Thinking about his nephews Don wondered if she might even be capable of besting Devon or Seth in a sparring match? Because she may have used her fighting skills to survive, Don knew it gave an edge to anyone forced to do so.   The survival instinct made a big difference between learning in the dojo and taking it to the streets.  Don knew that the skills and abilities of his two nephews were admirable, maybe even impressive.  But it was just the fact that training used for survival helped hone techniques better then anything else could.

Of course, Seth and Devon both found this out only a few years earlier when their home had been momentarily invaded by local thugs.  After that experience Seth discovered a new depth to his ninjitsu and Devon learned how to endure being skewered.  Pain was always a catalyst to growth within the 'arts and Devon had come out of that experience wiser and tougher than before – much to Mike's consternation.  He still thought his nephew was too much like his dad, Raphael!

But Don realized there was one thing he could learn without waiting for Ramiela to tell him.   He opened the door to her room and quietly slipped in.  He saw that she was sleeping on her side, her back facing the door. The doctors had obviously covered her over with blankets before leaving. Her breathing seemed more regular than it had been and Don smiled, knowing that this was a good sign.  She would definitely heal.

Don walked silently with ninja stealth to her bedside and, with care so as not to disturb or wake her, he drew back the blankets.  Now he could see her carapace fully exposed.

Her shell, like her plastron, was badly scratched and damaged.  He was hard pressed to find an individual scute, or plate, that would work for his purpose.  Finally he found one that was relatively free from any blemish.

Turning on the bedside lamp to ensure he didn't miss any lines he began to slowly count the fine markings along the scute. This was a fairly accurate way of determining age in turtles. Though the lines often became obscured with damage or with growth, he felt this mutant turtle was quite young. Her markings were very faint which made the process even harder to determine.  But Don with his well trained skills was quite able to discern them on the scute he had chosen for this purpose.

He found eighteen lines. Don double counted to make sure and came up with eighteen again.  This was most likely Ramiela's age.

Don suddenly felt overwhelming pity for her "Only eighteen years old and so many scars to bear.  You have lived a very hard and uneasy life, Ramiela." Don murmured gently.  "Lucky for you that it's all over now."  

Don replaced the blanket back over the sleeping form but remained there by her bedside in thought.  He considered his nieces and nephews who often didn't want to hear about how hard their parents had it as children. They seemed to take their easy and luxurious lifestyle too much for granted.

Addressing Ramiela in a whisper, Don commented, "Perhaps you will get them to see how lucky they are to have the advantages that they have grown up.  Possibly by your own account you can make them appreciate the opportunities they have been afforded."

With that Don left the room to get himself a drink and prepare some herbs to make Ramiela some tea.  He knew that Leo's special brew would benefit her considerably as it had for so many others in his family.  While doing this he would have to decide who he was going get to care for her and then make the arrangements for them to get out to New York as soon as possible.   He would have to act fast, though; the one important meeting he couldn't cancel out of was only hours away.

In the meantime, Don would have to postpone a few of his appointments to make sure that he would be there in her room when Ramiela woke up.

TBC


	4. Awaken to Confusion

Okay, redundant as it is, we – that is, Ramica and I – must state the obvious.  The TMNT's are NOT ours nor will they ever be.  So, deal with it.  Personally, I'm rather glad!  They'd tear up my house and then I'd have to kick them out.  Not that I could, but – ahem – enough said!  

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**Chapter 4 – Awaken to Confusion**     

Ramiela stirred as she began to awaken and then regretted moving.  She knew immediately that she was injured and not just in a few places, either.  

Both sides of her head pulsed in pain, making her wince as she tried to move it.  Squirming in discomfort she soon found that her one leg also hurt.  Soon Ramiela was able to determine what other areas of her body were protesting.  Both her arms ached but especially the right one.  And then, ever so slowly, other parts of her body began their ardent complaints.  After a moment of doing a personal inventory of her current physical state, Ramiela had to admit that even her hair hurt. 

  
"Must be the headache I have." She moaned painfully to herself.  She kept her eyes closed so the light in the room wouldn't make it any worse.  

As she carefully lifted her left arm to bring her hand up so she could rub her forehead, she felt something drag along with it.  Ramiela ignored it for the time being, more concerned with easing the discomfort above her eyes.  Her gentle massage felt good but it didn't do much to alleviate the throbbing pain.  

"What happened to me?" she asked herself in confusion. 

Then, as she brought her hand back down to her side she noted that there was something sticking into her.  She opened her eyes to see and that was when she noticed an I.V. had been inserted into her arm.

"What the…?" she nearly yelped.  In a fit of sheer panic that she did not completely understand Ramiela yanked the needle out of her arm.  She then frantically sat up and scooted as far back from the edge of the bed she was in.  She slammed hard into the corner of the headboard and up against the wall.  Her shell banged loudly from the impact, stopping her momentum and forcing her to cease her desperate rush.   

She didn't understand why she was reacting this way, but Ramiela was certain that whatever the reason all she could sense was her own fear.  The need to get away was building up within her like a tsunami, ready to drown her if she didn't act fast.  But she hurt too much to do anything, more now than before with her frantic movement.  Her breathing came in ragged gasps as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.  But it was difficult at best since her vision was slightly blurred.

However, nothing looked familiar to her.  Not the bed, not the room, not the dresser that was just passed the foot of the bed.  It all looked too – perfect; not at all like…where?  She couldn't remember where or what she was used to.  But one thing was certain, it definitely wasn't this place.  

Because of her somewhat impaired vision, Ramiela didn't notice the figure who was quietly sitting in a chair opposite from where she was.  All she could see for the moment was the foot of the bed and the dresser that stood just beyond it.

The figure remained silent to allow his guest a chance to adjust.  Yet, the wild look in her eyes, her rapid breathing, and the way she had nearly thrown herself into the corner of the wall told him that she needed to calm down.  It wouldn't do her any good to re-open those wounds.  She could even cause more problems because of it.  It was probably bad enough that she had already yanked out the I.V needle; she could use the fluids to help her. He would have to see about getting it replaced later after she calmed down a bit, as he didn't want to attempt to do so now.

Knowing how she would react but not having any other course to follow, he said as softly as he could, "Ramiela, don't worry.  You're safe here."

As expected the young mutant female startled violently and jumped a little, trying to press even further into the wall.  Her eyes went ever wider with fright – and pain.  She looked around and found – someone.  He was staring at her and he looked strangely familiar to her. However, for the moment she didn't know why that would be. 

In a shaky voice, she asked, "Do…do I know you?"

Don smiled and said as calmly as he could, "We just met a while ago in an alley.  You were badly injured.  You still are so I would suggest you try to calm down if you can."  He laced his fingers together and rested his hands against his plastron. 

Ramiela stared at him for a few moments, trying to understand all that he had just told her.  Yes, the alley, she remembered waking up in an alley.  She remembered how someone had tried to reach for her.  She had been bleeding and was hurting and terribly frightened because…why was she frightened?  "_Oh, that's right – it was daylight and I needed to be somewhere dark and safe and…" _but that was all she could remember, though she racked her brain to come up with something more.

"How'd you find me?" she asked weakly; allowing herself to relax just a little.

"One of my company workers found you and reported your condition to me." Don replied easily.  "It was quite fortunate that he did, too.  I don't think you would have survived much longer if he hadn't.  You're quite lucky, Ramiela."

That name sounded familiar to her and it was the second time he had used it, too.  "Ramiela?  Is – that my name?" she asked him, furrowing her brow in confusion.

Don's eyes widened just a little, "Well, that is the name you told me just before you blacked out.  So, I assumed…" 

Don furrowed his eye ridge, somewhat concerned with her lack of memory.  It disturbed him that she had trouble recalling even the most recent events.  But then considering all that she had been through perhaps her memory loss was only due to disorientation.

"Yes, I - I kind of remember, now.  But everything else is just so – fuzzy." She moaned.

"I'm sure it is.  You sustained some pretty nasty cuts and abrasions." Don explained. "You may have a concussion, too, so I want you to take it easy, okay?"  He said softly.

Ramiela replied weakly as she slipped back down into the bed, "Okay."  Then, looking over at him, she asked, "I should know who you are, but I just can't remember your name."

Don shook his head and said, "We've never met before today.  But, for the record, my name is Don Tello.  I will be your benefactor from this moment on and, hopefully, a friend."  He smiled warmly at her, but noticed she was still a little unsure.  Leaning towards her and making eye contact, he assured, "You needn't fear anything, Ramiela.  I have sworn myself to protect you and protect you I will."

"Don Tello, huh?" she squinted her eyes at him as if trying to remember, her brow furrowed even more while she concentrated.  Finally, she said, "You are very familiar to me and I know you from somewhere.  I just – can't seem to remember how, though."  

It bothered Ramiela that she could not place him.  But the more she tried to remember the more it hurt her all ready aching head. She knew, though, that this was going to continue to pick at her until she figured it out.  But at the moment she didn't have the strength or energy to concentrate on the matter.

With all that had just happened coupled with how badly she hurt, Ramiela couldn't help but cry just a little.  She should know who this Don Tello was, she just knew it.  She should know who she was, for that matter.  It was all too frustrating, strange, and most especially frightening. Ramiela had never recalled feeling like this at any time before.  But then she didn't' have much of a grasp of her life before waking, either. It was really more of a feeling inside that said all of this was just so foreign to her.

Don slowly eased himself off the chair and slipped over to the side of the bed.  He sat down gently so he wouldn't scare her and then took Ramiela's right hand.  He was careful not to nudge her injured arm, only caressing the tops of her fingers with his own.  Smiling to her, he said, "Maybe once you start healing your memory will improve?  But I want to stress to you that I will make sure that nothing will ever happen to you again.  Whoever did this to you will be punished severely."  

Then Don softened his expression and smiled warmly, "From this moment on, Ramiela, you will be a part of my family." 

She sniffed and tried to smile a little in return.  But there were too many confusing thoughts racing through her mind.  Ramiela nodded as if accepting Don's offer for now.  Maybe he was right.  _"Once I recover maybe I will remember more."_ She thought to herself.  She sure hoped so at any rate because she had already decided she didn't like not knowing and the confusion it caused her.   

******  

Ramiela sipped the tea that Don had offered her. It was sweet with a hint of lavender and mint.  It pleased her immensely.  After several cups she was soon feeling her anxieties slip away like the last melt of snow, calmer as a result.  She was sitting up in the bed she awoke in, pillows stuffed behind her - courtesy of Don.  

He sat across from her in the same chair as before, enjoying his own cup of tea as well.  Don watched her intently, studying her face and realizing that Ramiela reminded him an awful lot of someone.  He couldn't be certain who it was but he was sure the answers would be in the results from the blood tests.  

She was definitely part turtle that much was obvious.  Don was pretty sure that he and his brothers were the only mutant turtles in the world.  With his connections he doubted very much that any rogue scientist could conceal something like Ramiela without someone alerting Don and his family.  She just had to be part of his clan and it was chaffing at him to get at the results of the tests.

~*~*~*~*~

Earlier, Don had tried very hard not to ask too many questions of her so she wouldn't stress out.  The ones he did ask pertained to her general health and any immediate needs that she had.  

Visiting the restroom was the first one, which he helped her to, and then once she was safely inside the bathroom he let her be while she took care of business. 

Once back in bed, Ramiela had started to lie down again, but Don asked her, "Would you like to sit up?" 

"Yes, I would actually." She replied brightly.

Don went to the closet and brought out a few more pillows.  He then carefully placed the pillows behind Ramiela's shell so that she could sit up more easily and comfortably.  

"Better?" he asked her.

Smiling back at him, she replied, "Yes, much.  Thank you!"

Then her other need had been hunger.  Ramiela was famished.  

However Don felt that something light would be better until he felt she was on the mend.  He had suggested a pot of tea.

Earlier, in preparation for when Ramiela would wake up, he had blended together the leaves and herbs according to Leo's recipe.  The water was already hot and kept on the back burner to keep it that way.  All that was left to do now was to blend both water and herbal leaves together.  After a five minute steep, the pot of tea would be ready for drinking.

But, Ramiela had other ideas. 

"Look, I appreciate your care an' all, but I'm really hungry." She insisted.  "A sandwich would be better, I think."

Don had eyed her a little and remembered Ramiela's attitude hours earlier in the alleyway shortly after being discovered.  He admired her resolve then, but now was a time for her to listen and comply.

Carefully and with seasoned diplomacy, Don insisted, "I'm sorry, Ramiela, but I believe a pot of tea will help you better right now.  I promise that I will have some food for you once you have the tea in your system." 

Don could see a healthy bit of fight showing in the young female's eyes.  He had to smile just a little.  This very attribute would probably help her to recover.  However, for now, it could also impede that recovery if she chose to challenge him.  

Surprisingly she'd conceded; only because she was weakened, "Fine, whatever…but I will hold you to your promise!" she looked hard at him.    

Chuckling, he had replied, "I would expect nothing less from you, Ramiela!"

He then excused himself, saying that he would be back in thirty minutes.  When Don finally returned, he brought with him the pot of tea and two cups.  He carefully poured a cup for her and one for himself. 

Taking the cup that Don handed to her, Ramiela had sniffed at it suspiciously.  

  
"Lavender?" she asked as she looked up at him.

"Yes and a bit of mint, too.  It works well for the digestive track.  It's quite healing."  Don then took a sip from his own cup and sat down in the chair.

Ramiela had taken a cautious taste from hers and found, much to her delight, that it was quite good.  She readily drank her tea and soon requested a refill.  There was something about it all that seemed vaguely familiar to her, just like so many other things.  However, for the moment she wasn't going to concern herself with it.

~*~*~*~*~

Now after a good thirty minutes had passed and with the pot of tea half gone, Ramiela was feeling more relaxed.  "So – ah, where exactly am I?" she asked after she had another swallow of her tea.

"You're in New York City in downtown Manhattan on Park Ave.  I own practically the entire block, including this penthouse." Don replied.

"We're in a penthouse?  Really?  Wow, I've never been in one of those before; at least, I don't think I have…"  Ramiela scrunched her brow a little a she tried to determine from her limited memory if that statement was true.  "Nope, I'm sure I've never been in one of them." She finally said and smiled.  Then she asked him, "So is this where you live?"

"When I'm in New York I do.  But when I'm out west in California I have a place in Big Sur next door to my brother's property.  You're going to be meeting him tomorrow morning, in fact." Don replied.  

He immediately saw Ramiela's eyes go wide and so he assured her, "He looks just like you and me, only shorter and – well – maybe a little more outgoing and chipper."  

That seemed to ease the young mutant's approaching panic attack.  She sighed loudly and Don had to smile at her reaction, stating, "I have two other brothers as well.  One of them may be coming out here tomorrow, too, in fact.  Until then, though, my niece will be staying with you so you're not alone."

"Wh- where are you going?"  Ramiela started feeling apprehensive again.  For some reason how she was feeling didn't seem right; it was as if she were a completely different person from whom she had been.  Though she still didn't have any memory of her life before coming into Don Tello's care, she knew that it was quite different from where she was currently.

"I have a meeting that I cannot cancel out of.  Gaele will stay with you until I get back.  You will like her, I think." Don encouraged her. 

Don had finally opted for getting Gaele out to care for Ramiela.  He knew there were others in the lab that could do the blood testing that he needed.  Plus, his niece was readily available; living closet to New York to accommodate his schedule.

"Is – is she like – us?" Ramiela asked worriedly.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Don replied softly.  "Would you like to meet her?"

Ramiela wasn't sure about that, but since her benefactor had to be somewhere, she decided that meeting this niece of his while Don was currently still in the penthouse was the best course of action to take.  "Sure, I guess."

"Great.  I'll go get her.  Just wait here.  I'm sure the two of you will get along quite well!" Then Don stood up and left the room to fetch his niece.

Ramiela hunkered down into the pillows, not certain she would like this member of Don's family.  She was still trying to sort herself out and now to have one more person to deal with seemed all too overwhelming.  It was a great deal to face all at once but she took a deep breath or two while she waited; hoping to ease some of the anxiety that was starting to build up in her again.

Soon, Don returned to the bedroom, being followed by one similar but not quite the same as himself.  Gaele quietly walked in behind her uncle.  As she stepped around Don to reveal herself, she smiled when she saw the mutant female laying in the bed. 

"Hi, Ramiela.  My name is Gaele." She said cheerfully.

Ramiela just stared.  Don couldn't have been more understated with his answer to her question about Gaele being like them.  Yes, Gaele was reptilian, but that was where the similarities ended.

Aside from the green scaly skin that proved her reptilian heritage, Gaele had blue hair, wore clothes and had a bit of makeup on her face.  Then, Ramiela noticed Don's niece had claws instead of nails.  They were painted a pale pink, too!  

However, as she moved more into the bedroom and out from behind Don, the most surprising physical attribute that was Gaele's now became apparent to Ramiela.  It wasn't because Don's niece didn't have a shell on her back.  What surprised Ramiela was that Gaele had the longest tail she had ever seen on anyone – best that her impaired memory could recall!  Though Ramiela herself sported a tail, it was small and nearly unnoticeable by comparison.  There wasn't any way she could deny the sight of Gaele's.  It was truly impressive!

All Ramiela could do was to stare wide-eyed and slack jawed.  She was aware that it was probably quite rude, but she just couldn't help herself.  As far as she was concerned she and Don's niece were almost as different as night was from day.


	5. Gaele

Yada, yada. Yada – we DON'T own the TMNT's.  If I have to tell you who WE are, then you seriously need to stop starting any story from this point.  It is best to start all stories from the first chapter.  Go, now, and read like you're supposed to!  Sheesh!

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**Chapter Five – Startling Revelations!******

Once she realized what she was doing, Rama finally shut her mouth.  Her breathing quickened just a little, though, as she watched Gaele carefully out of very large and slightly surprised eyes.  Rama noted that Gaele's hair was short.  She also saw that Don's niece wore clothing, notably a sweater with a pair of slacks.  The fact that Gaele had a tail to consider made it quite startling to be sure.  Rama instinctively shrank back even more into the pillows that supported her.  

Don could sense the change in Ramiela's mood almost instantly.  Though her panicky feelings had calmed down a great deal from the tea, Don easily discerned a rise in her anxieties.  Her wary look and tense body spoke volumes to him about Ramiela's current emotional state. He sat at the foot of her bed while allowing Gaele to take the chair he'd occupied only moments before.

Rama followed the iguanid female with her eyes as Gaele moved gracefully over to the chair and sat down after sweeping her tail off to one side.  Don's niece clasped her hands in front of her and rested them on her lap.  She allowed a slight smile to crease her face as she gazed over at the other female.

Out of nervousness, Rama hunkered down into the pillows; unsure whether or not she would like this niece of Don's.  She seemed nice, though, all things considered.  However, Rama swallowed apprehensively.  

"It's all right Ramiela.  Gaele happens to be half mutant turtle and half mutant iguana." Don said gently.  Rama looked at him and saw the smile that had calmed her earlier.  However, she just couldn't resist her next comment.

"Well, I guess _that_ explains the _tail_,"  Rama muttered in a light almost joking tone as she looked back over at Gaele.

Gaele gave a disarming grin that seemed all too familiar to Ramiela.  It puzzled her that she would even find it such. _"What is it about that smile?"_ she thought to herself.

Rama then heard Don's niece say, "I have two brothers and a sister; all of whom have tails like I do.  It does tend to throw people off when they see us at first; especially when they aren't use to us." she said cheerfully. Gaele decided not to go into all the details about her half brothers and her sister for the moment.  There would be time enough for Ramiela to learn about the intricate relationships in her family.

Rama scowled slightly, her brow furrowing as she thought about what Gaele had just told her.  The fact that Don's niece eluded to people – humans – seeing them just didn't feel right to her.  For some reason it seemed all wrong.  Rama couldn't quite determine what or why it was, however. It was as if she had the oddest feeling that human-kind shouldn't know about beings like themselves.  Hiding from people and staying hidden felt more right by comparison.  Nevertheless, it was obvious that whatever her reasons were for feeling that way, it was certain that Gaele and Don didn't share in them.   

Though her headache still throbbed, Rama gave a heavy sigh as she slowly shook her head in defeat.  Regardless of how she saw things, even if she couldn't explain them, it seemed fruitless to fight the differences.  She noticed that when she did, her head hurt even more. Yet, thankfully, her pain had subsided from the many lacerations and injuries.  Rama didn't want to push her luck, however, so she resigned herself to just keeping still and as calm as she could.

Understanding Ramiela's xenophobic behavior based on what her uncle had told her, Gaele wasn't surprised that the young mutant didn't seem too talkative.  Yet she figured she could at least get the girl to open up more if she shared a little bit about herself.  Therefore, Gaele decided to tell Ramiela about what she did for a living to encourage her to come out of her shell.

She began, careful to speak calmly so as not to overwhelm her, "Ramiela, I thought maybe I would tell you a little about me; sort of give you a heads up on who I am and what I do."  Gaele noticed immediately a spark of interest come over Rama's face.  She continued, "I work with genetics studying DNA and researching the similarities and differences between humans and mutated reptiles.  I actually head up Uncle Don's lab in Connecticut."

Ramiela suddenly jerked back; her heart starting to race under her plastron.   For reasons that she didn't quite understand she became very frightened.  Rama didn't know why but it was something concerning what Gaele had said regarding a 'lab in Connecticut'.  Though she didn't understand it, the words had struck a deep resonating chord of fear within her.  It seemed silly because she couldn't place that feeling with anything tangible.

Gaele realized immediately that she perhaps had put her foot into things. "Did I say something wrong, Ramiela?" she asked looking at the panic-stricken turtle.  She swung a worried glance at her uncle, shrugging as if to indicate, _'What did I say?'_

Don hadn't missed Ramiela's reaction to Gaele's words, either.  He became even more alert than before.  He thought once again of the strange marks Ramiela bore on her arms and wondered if perhaps some scientist had indeed manage to try and conceal her from him and his family. If that were true what purpose did Ramiela serve him – or them, for that matter?  Had they tried to find out what her limits were and, if that were true, what plans did they have for mutants in general?  Don's concerns and his need for answers heightened immediately.  He knew he was going to have to get to the bottom of this soon; it would not be prudent to wait on such a serious matter.  If there were tests being done or maybe tests that had already been done – given Ramiela's physical condition when she was first discovered – then the very safety of his family might be in jeopardy. 

Yet Don had to force down his own rising anger.  He suspected and had all ready learned that Ramiela owned a heightened sense of awareness.  He harbored few doubts that she would be able to pick up on his feelings. She might interpret his response of anger at the way she had been treated or become fearful of him because she might believe it was directed towards her.  Either way, it was something Don didn't want to tempt for the moment.

Ramiela looked at Gaele, shaking her head, "I'm sorry, it's not you.  But for some inexplicable reason _what_ you said caused me to feel very afraid, almost for my life. The silly thing about it is I can't tell you why I feel this way." Rama admitted softly.  She clenched her hands into tight fists, trembling as she spoke, "I think my head is still a little scrambled; I just don't seem to be myself at all." she explained as she bit her lip gently in consternation.

Gaele nodded "That's understandable.  It looks like you have been through a great deal."

"Yeah and I guess ignorance is bliss.  I just can't remember very much about it for the moment." Rama agreed with a nervous but wry grin.

As frightened as she was, Don had to smile at Ramiela's light hearted attempt at humor.  At least she was trying to maintain an optimistic attitude. "I think, Ramiela, that you will find your memory will improve a great deal when you are a bit better."

"I hope so.  I don't think it can get much worse; at least I hope not." Rama said with nervous anticipation.

"If any thing you will get better because you are with us now, Ramiela." Gaele assured her compassionately.  She smiled wider to emphasis her sincerity, which seemed to ease Rama's uncertain feelings.  

That appeared to be all it took to break the ice between Gaele and Ramiela.  Soon they were talking about different things and joking a bit with one another.   At one point Gaele told a funny short story that had the younger turtle laughing.

"No fair Gaele, it hurts to laugh." Rama complained lightly as she chuckled, holding herself against the pain. 

"I'm so sorry, Ramiela.  Are you all right?" Gaele asked.  

"Yeah, but that _was_ a funny story.  Good grief, where do you get them, anyway?" Rama chuckled again, being careful to do so softly.

"Well, I kind of learned from the best; my dad!" Gaele explained, grinning broadly.

Don smiled at the two of them.  They seemed to be acting more like they had known each other for ages.  He was relieved to see that Ramiela was now totally relaxed and comfortable with his niece.  However, Don sighed deeply to himself as he wondered what was taking the lab so long to get back to them.  In all honesty, he really should have heard from them by now.

Ramiela looked over at Don, asking brightly, "Is it all right if I had something to eat now? I'm feeling half starved."

Don nodded towards her, smiling.  At least Ramiela had no problem recalling his promise to feed her after the tea.  He chuckled, "Yes I'll get you something and some more tea might do you good as well" Don suggested.

He slipped out of the room having no qualms about leaving Ramiela alone with Gaele.  Now that the younger mutant appeared to have accepted his niece, Don was certain that when the rest of his family arrive her adjustment to them might be easier.

He fixed a bowl of soup and some more tea for Ramiela and then a cup of tea for Gaele and himself, too.  He thought that the soup would be light and easy on Ramiela's empty stomach, having less of a chance of her body rejecting it later.  It wasn't the sandwich she would be expecting, but if she was as hungry as she said she was then anything would be a welcomed relief.

He brought in the meal and cups of tea on a tray into the bedroom.  Ramiela didn't argue about having just soup, but dove right into it, slurping ravenously from her spoon.  Fortunately, it was a rather large bowl of soup and when she was done, Rama seemed satisfied.  

"Thanks, that was delicious!" Ramiela gushed happily.  "Do you think later I could have more?" 

Don smiled and nodded, "We'll see how this settles with you and then maybe I'll have Gaele fix you a sandwich."  He saw Ramiela's eyes brighten up at the idea of having solid food.

Gaele looked over at her uncle in surprise, "What about your cook?"

Don glared teasingly at her and then smiled, "I dismissed the staff earlier when the doctors left.  It won't hurt you to make a sandwich, Gaele!"

Sighing, his niece replied back a little reluctantly, "No, I guess not."

Don had to shake his head with how spoiled his family could be sometimes.  If they only understood how good they actually had it, they would be doing back flips to offer any assistance.  

When Don was done with his tea, he told them, "I have some work to tend to in my office.  I will leave you two to get better acquainted. If you need anything, Ramiela, feel free to ask Gaele. I'm sure she can assist you."  He smirked at his niece, but Don then noticed that she had perked up a little.  _"Good_," he thought to himself, _"She might benefit from this experience after all!"_

Don knew that Gaele was pampered at home, as were all of her siblings, and at the lab; being the niece of the 'great and mighty Don Tello'.  Still, if she only knew that at one time he was known in jest as Donatello of the Sewers, Gaele might not be so willing to be treated so exceptionally!  A little reality check helping Ramiela might be good for Gaele – and the others as well.  

Don then left the room and headed to his office where he phoned his lab.  

Sitting in his chair and as he waited for the call to be picked up on the other end, he ran through several possibilities about Ramiela's heritage.  When he first saw her she had looked very familiar to him.  He knew that there weren't any other mutant turtles in the world, so that would mean that the father would have to be one from his family.  He knew his nephews were too young to have done the deed, so they were easily dismissed.

Don knew it wasn't him, though.  The only human female he had ever been intimate with had killed herself after a failed attempt on his life years ago.  But Bara was also Japanese and as far as Don could tell, Ramiela didn't look Asian at all.  

He then thought of his first love.  Though he would have wanted to, Mindy never allowed him to get that close to her.  Their relationship had been affectionate, but circumstances prevented them from taking it any further.  Plus, she had died eighteen years earlier and that was how old he had determined Ramiela to be.  Don sighed as he reminisced about Min.  It still hurt after all these years.  However, he shoved his meandering aside and stuck to the task at hand.

Don's thoughts then went to Cassandra.  Could she have conceived a third time years ago but elected not to tell anyone about it?  She was a woman of mysteries that was certain.  Yet, she had owned up to being the mother of Gabriella - Raph's daughter, and Serena Brightwell - Saki's daughter from when she was part of the Foot organization.  Why would Cassie hold back on Ramiela?  Still, she was the only human who's DNA was tweaked enough to make that a possibility.  But, which one of his brothers would be willing or even interested in doing the deed?  That piqued Don's curiosity about all of them.  

Raph might be the father, but Ramiela didn't look at all like him.  Gabriella's own physical similarities to her dad voided that idea quickly enough.  Yes, she looked human, more so than Ramiela did, but she also had red hair, whereas Ramiela didn't!  Red was always a dominate hue in the genetic pool of any family that sported such a color.  Since he and is brothers didn't have any hair at all, Don was certain that Cassandra couldn't be Ramiela's mother.

Leo?  Don knew that his brother had taken an oath of celibacy years ago, though he did fall from grace once with Rahab.  There was a possibility that maybe in Japan he could have met someone.  But, no, that wouldn't wash, either.  Leo would have been drawn to maybe a Japanese girl, if anything.  Ramiela, again, did not have an ounce of Asian in her based on her facial features.  

Mike?  

But before Don could extrapolate on that possibility, the call on the other end of the phone picked up.   

"Yes, this is Don Tello.  Do you have the results back from that blood sample I sent you?"  

As he listened to the reply his brow furrowed.  Gradually as the technician on the other end shared the lab's findings, Don's face became hardened as the information poured forth.  After a long silence and grumbling just a little under his breath, Don replied deeply, "Thank you for your work.  But please fax the results to me and _DON'T_ speak a word of this to Gaele or anyone else for that matter.  Let the others know about my restrictions.  That is _NOT_ a request!  I will tell her myself." 

A few minutes later an incoming fax arrived bearing the information from the test results. The papers showed that Ramiela's blood was clean of any disease.  However, one of the tests that Don had required had been preformed three times to insure that there was no doubt about her genetic make-up. All three of the test came back with the same results, showing only a single father. Only one turtle in their clan was compatible with Ramiela.

Though her identity was unknown, Ramiela's mother was in deed one hundred percent human without any DNA augmentation like Cassandra's had been.  

However Rama's father, as it turned out, was not a mystery to them at all – not anymore, that is.  

Donatello just stared at the findings and fumed.

The test showed that that without a doubt, the father was one hundred percent - Michelangelo!


	6. Confrontations and Denial

Disclaimer: No, we still do not own the TMNT's.  This particular universe, sans Gabby, was originally the creative efforts of Wendy A. Peabody.  She owns Rahab, Gaele, Devon, Seth, and Riahna.  However, we tweaked it just a little.  Hope you enjoy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chapter Six – Confrontations and Denial

Holding back his anger towards Mike, Don looked over the findings and studied the genetic markers.  He was puzzled about how a human could somehow conceive a child by them.  He knew that it wasn't possible.  His labs had tried for years to bridge the gap but without success.  Even with his niece in charge, as brilliant as she was in biotechnology, they hadn't found the connection if there was any.  

Don thought about how fortunate his nephew, Seth, was to have Gabby.  He thought, then, of Devon.  Seth's half brother by Raphael was already feeling the loneliness of being so unique in the world.  Even Gaele felt the despair of not being able to have the chance to have children!  If there was a way to conceive through human intervention, then Don was going to have to get his lab to work harder at finding out the secret!  It was obvious Ramiela was proof that it was feasible!

Thinking about his own family that had born children and their genetic makeup, Don knew of Rahab's own human element.  However, the scientist who owned her had grafted that element into her.  It saved her life but it changed her forever.  Not that Don would complain too much.  Rahab had been an answer to many unspoken prayers that over the years he and his three brothers had silently prayed. 

Don then regarded Gabby's own mother once again.  Cassandra's altered DNA allowed her to conceive Gabriella through Raphael, albeit artificially.  As a result, Gabby was a pleasant surprise to the family when her existence was made known to them.  When she married Seth, Leo's son, and now with them expecting their second child, it was certain their species would continue – at least for a while, that is.

Yet the test results that he held in his hands proved that at least one unaltered human female was compatible enough to mate with them.  Perhaps something in her DNA allowed such a thing to happen!

What disturbed Don the most, though, was the thought that Mike obviously had an affair at some point during his marriage to Rahab.  What made it worse was the obvious fact that he hadn't bothered to mention any of this to his own clan members.  Considering how seriously they all took to the honor system of their ninjitsu, Don was sure Mike might not have wanted to for fear of losing their respect.  Still, it seemed out of character for him.  Maybe Mike found himself in a weakened moment and, considering their failed history to procreate with the human species, felt that nothing more would come of it.  Knowing his brother the way that he did, Don knew that Mike would have probably guilt-tripped over the whole affair regardless.  He was like that.  Rahab was the love of his life; everyone in the clan – even Raph – knew this.  Losing her would practically kill him.  It was quite possible that Mike's fear of losing his wife kept him quiet.  What puzzled Don, however, was not sensing any of this in the first place.  He was very intuitive and it was nearly impossible to 'pull one over' on him!

Nevertheless, Don realized that Ramiela had obviously paid full price and then some for her father's silence.  Don growled low as he contemplated on having a very interesting and serious talk with Mike.  Whether or not he knew about it didn't matter; the fact that he had been unfaithful with Rahab was enough!  With Mike arriving the next day, Don definitely wanted to catch him off his guard in hopes his brother would admit to his little affair.  The fact of the matter was Mike would have to own up to it eventually because he couldn't hide it any longer.  If anything else, the test results would prove that out!

~*~

A while later Don heard a tapping on the outside of his office door.  

"Yes?" He asked.

"It's me, Gaele…may I come in?"  

Don quickly opened a drawer in his desk and placed the faxed test results inside.  Closing the compartment, he then said, "Yes, you may."

Gaele slipped quietly into the room and closed the door behind her. "Ramiela is sleeping now. I just wanted to know if the lab had the results to her tests yet?" she inquired.

"Yes I have the results but it doesn't really concern you for the moment Gaele." Don replied evenly.  He had already downsized his own emotional reaction lest his niece sense his anger.

Gaele noted instantly that her uncle was cloaking his feelings.   She knew, then, that he was hiding something. "Doesn't concern me?" Gaele gave a quizzical look towards Don, one eye ridge raised in speculation, "Ramiela has to be part of our family somehow, Uncle.  I have a right to know!"

Don sat back in his chair and observed his niece.  He noticed that the tip of her tail was starting to lash back and forth just a little in agitation.  However, he remained unmoved as he answered her. "You will know soon enough Gaele."

In a determined voice she replied, "Okay; I'll just call the lab then and get them to tell me." She smirked as if pleased with herself to find a way to get around her uncle.  However, she knew him better than that.  Gaele had a sinking feeling that it wouldn't be that easy either.

"Go right ahead." Don stated magnanimously, cocking his head just a little in amusement.

Gaele shot her uncle a dark look "I suppose you gave them orders not to say any thing to me, right?" she fumed.

Don just smiled, his fingers laced together and resting on his plastron.  He neither admitted nor denied her statement.  He leaned further back in his chair and slowly rocked, waiting for Gaele's next volley of words.

"I head that lab, Don!" She snapped as if telling her uncle something he didn't already know.  Yet she knew instantly what a waste of time it was.

Don nodded in agreement "Yes, this is true and you do a fine job at it, too.  However, Gaele, I own it.  That means you work for me as well as those under you.  But, if you don't like being in charge and yet not knowing everything, I could arrange a lower position for you." he teased.  He then became serious as he stopped rocking, leaning forward in his chair towards her, "Trust me on this one, Gaele; I do have my reasons for this and you will know soon enough – and only when I am ready to tell you."

Gaele scowled irritably.  She hated it when Don did things like that.  Yet she knew that there wasn't going to be any way around it either.  If Don didn't wish to make her privy to the information then there was very little she could do about it.

"Fine, then I will wait until you seem fit to tell me, I guess.  You always have it your way, anyway." With that, Gaele huffed out of the den, leaving her uncle smiling in amusement.

As she wandered around the living room, frustrated and not very happy with Don, Gaele wondered about the results.  What could he have found that would be so sensitive that telling her now would be – inappropriate?  Gaele settled into staring outside one of the expansive windows.  It was starting to get dark out.  The lights from the city below her were slowly coming to life, illuminating the downtown district with every color of the rainbow.  The Statue of Liberty, easily seen between two skyscrapers to the east, was lit up as she was every night.  However, the Lady looked especially beautiful this evening, Gaele mused.  

Thinking back to her present gripe, she recognized her uncle's mood before she had even approached the office.  Gaele had felt 'anger' and 'shock' coming from the den.  Yet the moment she had tapped on the door, he had expertly cloaked those feelings.  As Gaele wondered about this, the fact that he hadn't sensed her said that he was greatly upset about the findings.  She thought that to be very interesting.  Yes, Gaele's uncle – well, all of her uncles and her father, for that matter – were ninja through and through.  If they didn't want you to know something, you could drop a bomb on them and they still wouldn't squeal!  That was the most frustrating part of being a member of the clan.  The secrets just about drove her nuts!  Yet it seemed as if her uncle's sensitivity to her proximity had been hindered by his emotional state.  That could only mean, at the very least, the results he received were ground shaking!

Of course, this only piqued her curiosity.  Though Don's decision to keep her in the dark was frustrating, it did not stop Gaele from thinking about the results.  She was smart enough that it wouldn't take a great deal of effort to work out. Knowing that her mind would puzzle over the question until she had discovered the mystery, she decided to try and solve it on her own.  She knew that there weren't any other mutants other than herself and her close-knit family.  Therefore, the only logical explanation to Ramiela's existence would be that someone from her clan would have been involved somehow.  It had to be one of six males in the family who could be Ramiela's father.  Since the mutant was eighteen that took the number down to four - her dad and three uncles.  Her brothers wouldn't have been old enough to father anything.

As she thought about the remaining four, even if it were possible for any of them to reproduce with a human female, it was unlikely that they would just ignore it.  They would be doing back flips, in fact.  As for which turtle did the deed though with regards to Ramiela, Gaele considered each one separately.  

Don wouldn't remotely allow it to happen to him, not with how rich and powerful he was.  Knowing her uncle the way she did, Gaele knew that Don would never put himself into any position where a relationship, or the results of, could come back and haunt him years later.  She doubted very much that her uncle was Ramiela's father.****

Leo was another consideration, but Gaele was aware of his vow of celibacy.  Other than his momentary indiscretion years earlier with her mother, Gaele was sure it couldn't be Leo.  She was thankful that Seth had been born into the family; however, she understood all too well how badly Raphael had taken the news.  With his own brother behaving so dishonorably with his wife, Rahab, it caused nothing but problems in the family.  It was a known fact that if Raph had pushed the issue, he would have forced Leo to commit seppuku.  Then again, years later it was Seth, while in his early teens, who was instrumental in bringing sanity back to his father. He had proven his birthright to the family with that one act alone.  As she thought about all of this, Gaele highly doubted that Leo would fall from grace a second time.  He had learned his lesson well.

Gaele sighed as she moved away from the window.  She realized that there were only two turtles left and one of them was her father.  She didn't even want to consider that her own dad might be responsible.  However, it was very possible that her Uncle Raph could be Ramiela's father.  That perked her up a little.  When Don initially called her about Ramiela, Gaele worried that the Foot had created yet another mutant in the same way that Gabby had been born.  It wouldn't have been too surprising, either.  After losing Cassandra and Gabby twenty-eight years earlier, the Foot may have tried one more time.  Ten years would have given them plenty of opportunities to change the DNA of yet another human female to accept whatever was left of Raphael's sperm.  That is if there was any left from Gabby's conception.  If that was true, then Ramiela could very easily be an enemy under orders to infiltrate their home, a kunoichi trained to attack them when they least expected it.  Considering that years ago one of Don's female assistants did almost that very same thing with him, this idea seemed the most likely.  

Considering her injuries, Gaele saw that it was obvious Ramiela had prior battle experience.  She could be this type of kunoichi who had been conditioned or brainwashed the way Bara had been.  These female ninja were never aware of their assignments, having to endure long sessions of conditioning that they never remembered.  They lived simply and innocently, waiting for the cue or the signal to strike.  Whether they were successful or not with their assignments, they always committed seppuku afterwards.

Still if Raphael was her father, why didn't Don just say so?  It wasn't that big of a deal that Don would have to keep the information hidden from her.  In fact, it would be a source of celebration.  It just didn't make sense.

Despite Gaele's reasoning that Raphael was Ramiela's father, the fact that Don made a point not to tell her said only one thing.  Gaele's own dad, Mike, had to be Ramiela's father, too.  Other than Don's, his was the only one who had a reputation to tarnish.  Gaele moaned at that thought. It was quite upsetting to think that her dad had become intimate with someone other than her mom. What disturbed her most was what she would say about it or if she should say any thing to the rest of the family, in the first place.  It was a burden she didn't want to carry alone, that was certain!

Gaele then considered something else, about what might have been obvious had she even the slightest inclination to think along these lines.  She looked back at the room where the mutant was sleeping.  Slowly Gaele crept towards the bedroom.  Carefully she opened the door and peered inside.  Ramiela was sleeping on her side facing the door.  Gaele studied her features carefully.  She chuckled quietly and derisively as she immediately saw the resemblance.  How could she miss something so obvious?  There was no question about it; Ramiela's father was indeed her father, Mike Angelo.  The trick was, however, would her mother notice the similarities!  Things were certainly going to become interesting once they get Ramiela to California.

Suddenly, she heard someone clear their throat directly behind her, though.  Gaele had all she could do to keep from jumping around in surprise, but she held herself in check and gently closed the door again.  She turned around and wasn't too surprised to see her uncle.  His posturing almost said that he had figured her found out, as if she had violated some unwritten rule.  Gaele wondered if he had sensed her concluding assumption about Ramiela.

"What were you doing, Gaele?" Don asked, standing not more that three feet from her.  His voice was low and almost suspicious sounding.

"Just – checking on her is all.  She's sleeping rather well." Gaele answered brightly, albeit a little nervously.  

"That's - good to hear." Don exclaimed softly, one eye ridge cocked.  Then, he said more evenly, "I need to be on a conference call for the next couple of hours.  I cannot be disturbed.  I should be at the meeting physically, but because of Ramiela, the corporate head is allowing my involvement with his meeting by way of my video phone.  If Ramiela should awaken before I am done, please see to it that she is kept calm."

"Will do, Uncle." Gaele said flatly.  She was still irritated with him and maybe a bit intimidated as well.  Yet after figuring out who Ramiela's father really was, she was starting to understand Don's reluctance in telling her.  Gaele couldn't really blame him, now.  "Why tell me when it's possible that Dad may have a perfectly good reason which could explain it all." She had to laugh a little to herself, though.  What kind of reason could he give to justify having an affair?  Unless he had been forced?  

"Yeah, right!" she mused to herself as she watched her uncle disappear into his office again, "just try to make any of them do something against their will and see what happens!"  

Then, Gaele decided to go into the kitchen to make herself a bite to eat; she was starting to feel just as hungry as Ramiela had felt earlier.

~*~*~*~*~  

Ramiela did eventually wake up for a little while so Gaele fixed her a rather large sandwich.  Rama ate hungrily, enjoying listening to her new friend tell her about her family in California.  She was intrigued about the large house that Gaele said her father owned and about the rather tall trees that grew so stately behind their property.  The coast with its crashing waves sounded very inviting to her, but the town of Carmel seemed to terrify her.  

"You actually walk around when there are people milling about?" she had asked Gaele with awe in her voice.

"Yes and they pretty much leave us alone, too.  Oh, there are a few who make rude comments.  Mostly those are just visitors from the bigger cities.  We pretty much ignore them, though." Gaele explained with a smile.  

"And you have two brothers and a sister?" Rama asked as she took the last bite of her sandwich.

"Yep, but one of my brothers is married already." Gaele replied.  She added, "I think you'd like his wife Gabriella, though!"  

"Why do you say that?" Rama asked.

"For the most part, Gabby's pretty nice. We get along really well.  However, she has become somewhat opinionated, at least more so over the past three years since she married.  Doesn't take squat from Seth, which I think is a hoot and a half!" Gaele laughed.  "My bro certainly has his hands full with her, that's for certain!"  Then she softened, "But Gabby had a tough time getting used to all of us in the beginning.  Had some difficult experiences thrown her way, but, she's stronger for it, so it all worked out."

"Like what?" Rama asked as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

"Well, why don't we wait until later on that one, okay?  Maybe she can tell you herself!" Gaele detoured gracefully.

"Is she coming here, too?" Ramiela asked excitedly.

"Ah, no…but when we get out to…." Gaele began to say, but Don interrupted her as he walked into the bedroom.

"Gaele, may I speak with you please?" he asked sternly.

By the tone of his voice, Gaele recognized that her uncle was not amused with something.  Obviously, he had overheard her say something that wasn't quite in line with his plans.  She excused herself and then went out of the bedroom, following Don into the living area.

In a soft whisper but edged with distain, Don said, "I doubt VERY much if Ramiela has ever been on a jet before.  She probably knows what they are, however.  Given her excitability, it would be prudent if we refrained from divulging to her how we are getting her out to California - at least for the time being!"  His memory four years earlier of Gabby's sheer terror over the idea of flying and the problems it caused was still fresh.  He did not want a repeat of that experience with Ramiela.

Gaele blushed and nodded her head in agreement, "Oops, sorry.  I guess I didn't realize that.  I should have, though."

"Yes, you should have!" was all Don said in reply.  Then, he added, "I'm going to hit the sack; I'm beat.  I'll say goodnight to Ramiela and then I think you should tuck in, too.  Tomorrow's going to be a long day, I believe!" 

His last few words sounded irritable and weary.  Whatever was going to happen tomorrow, it was obvious to Gaele that it had nothing to do with getting Ramiela to California.  She was certain it had everything to do with her father.

~*~

Don made sure that Ramiela was comfortable by the time Mike and Raph arrived at the penthouse the next afternoon.  He had mulled over how he would approach his brother about Ramiela and decided that a direct confrontation was the only way.

"So where is this new turtle girl hiding at?" Raph chuckled as he came into the penthouse.  He threw his coat onto the coat rack that stood just inside the foyer.  He looked around and smiled to himself; Don's place was definitely in bold contrast to his own digs in San Francisco.  Still, he favored simplicity and it was enough for him.

Don replied, "Ramiela is in the guest room, Raph, but don't go in there just yet.  She can get a bit nervous around people she doesn't know. So far, she's only had to deal with Gaele and myself.  While she's a little stronger today she is still weak enough that I don't want her stressed out too much." 

"Ramiela? What kind of moniker is that and how are we supposed to shorten it to something half-way decent?" Raph demanded making a face at the name.  He never did like full names, but enjoyed cutting them down to size.  The less work in saying someone's name the better Raph liked it.

Don refrained from qualifying Raph's comment, but instead told him, "You can fix yourself something to eat if you're hungry.  I think I've stocked my pantry with enough food." 

"Ah riiight!" Raph exclaimed happily and then he headed into the living room and towards the kitchen.  

Don then looked at Mike "Can I see you in my office for a moment?" he asked.

"Sure.  Is Gaele here, too? I was hoping she would be since I haven't seen her for a while." Mike commented cheerfully as he followed Don into the office area "So what's up, Donny-boy?  It's already been decided that the girl will be staying at our place.  Rahab's real fine about it!" In a more serious tone, Mike added, "Rahab insisted, just to let you know."

Don smiled thinly, recognizing the tone of his brother's voice.  It only meant that, as far as Rahab was concerned, there would be no arguments about it.  However, he wryly thought how 'fine' Rahab would be with the news when she heard that Ramiela was Mike's daughter. Rahab was not a lightweight when it came to expressing herself.  He had seen too many of her outbursts over the years and respected her a great deal because of them.  She had a temper to be reckoned with that was certain!  

Now Don turned towards Mike.  With a face empty of emotion and as flat and intimidating as he could project, he asked him, "I need to know if you have ever had an affair behind Rahab's back?"

The stunned silence that followed was practically deafening.  It took a moment for Mike to catch up with what Don was implying.  He shook his head slowly, almost in disbelief.  How could anyone even think he would be capable of such behavior?

Mike looked baffled "Your - kidding me right Don?" he wondered.  He then smiled, confident that this was one of Don's rare jokes.   He was almost ready to bust out with a thigh-slapping howl, but in the next moment, he noticed that Don had not been kidding around.  His face was as cold as a block of ice.

"No not in the least." He replied evenly.  "Now is the time to come clean, Mike, because the test I had done on Ramiela's blood says that you are her father."

If Mike had been stunned before, this newest bit of information made it worse.  He felt his head begin to swim in panic, not the guilt type but one that was desperate to prove his innocence.  

Nearly shouting, but still keeping his voice low, Mike replied, his eyes wide with shock and surprise, "But - but that's impossible! You know we can't have kids with humans!  Rahab's the only other mutant we know about, anyway.  So how can I be Ramiela's dad?" Mike protested angrily.

"I don't know how it happened, Mike. I'm not concerned about the details of that matter." Don hissed, narrowing his eyes, "But the fact that you tried to hide your indiscretion, allowing your _'daughter'_ to suffer because of it is my immediate concern."

"Don, I have been FAITHFUL to Rahab. I've never done such a thing nor would I consider it!" Mike insisted. He was both grieved that his brother would say such a thing and firm on his belief that he had done nothing wrong.  He was innocent and he knew it.

"That is not what the results from the test tell me." Don said in a deep angry voice.  He walked around to his desk and opened up the drawer.  Removing the test results from inside, he handed the papers to Mike so he could see for himself.  Don told him, "Check it. These tests were done three times to make sure there weren't any errors.  You know your own gene markers, Mike."  Don watched as his brother scanned the results, saying, "You obviously did have a liaison with someone.  And that 'someone' produced Ramiela." Don snapped sharply.

He could sense that Mike believed him.  Watching his brother's face go from firm denial to resigned acceptance as he identified with the markers was painful.  Despite Mike's insistence of being innocent, the facts were against him.   Don couldn't understand why he wouldn't just own up to having the affair instead of maintaining his innocence.  He, least of all, should be aware how this one act alone might have jeopardized the clan.  It might have only been a one-night stand but that one night had come back to bite him in the worst possible way.

Mike drew himself up straighter, tossing the papers onto the desk angrily and crossed his arms over his plastron.  His face was rigid and his voice determined. "Maybe your people made a mistake?" he suggested tightly, narrowing his eyes in defiance.

"I don't tolerate mistakes of this kind.  As I told you, the lab ran three separate tests, Mike.  That's what took them so long to get back to me." Don shot a steely gaze at his brother.  Mike wasn't as stubborn about admitting to a mistake as he was behaving now.   Yet, in all honesty, Don couldn't rightly blame him.  Mike's marriage to Rahab very well might be threatened and if there was one thing Don knew, he knew how much Mike loved her.  Losing her would devastate him.

Don then suggested, "All I can say is this; you better come up with a more convincing story.  I doubt very much Rahab will believe you any more then I do." A grim smile crossed Don's face.  He couldn't recall a time when he had been more infuriated with his younger brother than he was now.  "No matter how you try to deny it, Mike, you can not continue to refute the fact that Ramiela is your daughter.  AND, I suggest you start taking some responsibility for her FAST!" Don barked.

Mike could only stare in disbelief.  As much as he enjoyed having kids around and wanting more if possible, Ramiela just couldn't be his. The tests had to be wrong; something must have happened in the lab to make it seem like he was the father.  Yet, Mike knew there was very little he could say to prove otherwise against the thrice done test that condemned him alone.  Even he was having a hard time not believing what he had just read.  He stared at the paperwork as if in shock.  "How could this be?" he moaned to himself.  "How…"

However, Don came around from the desk and took him roughly by the shoulder, saying. "Come on Mike I think it is high time you met your long lost daughter, Ramiela."  He steered him towards the door, hearing Mike muttering words of denial under his breath.  

As they came to the door, Don added one more thought, seething, "Maybe, Mike, when you see her you will start admitting to things; such as why you allowed her to live a life of torture and pain that she didn't deserve."  

Having lost all the fight to deny the facts, Mike allowed Don to lead him to the guest room, completely deflated.  As they entered the room, Mike noticed Gaele almost immediately.  She was sitting on the bed talking with Ramiela.  As she sensed someone enter she turned and saw that her father had arrived.  She stood up quickly to hug him. 

"Hi, Dad" she murmured.  She felt a bit reserved and funny around him now, suspecting what he had done.

Mike didn't seem to notice it though.  He was still too stunned and confused with the news that he had somehow fathered the mutant Don had found in New York.  He smiled a little, "Gaele, it's good to see you, girl."  He choked out.  He hugged her fiercely, afraid that if he let go his world would come crashing down even more.  He shuddered once as he pushed back the overwhelming emotions coursing through him.  Nevertheless, he pulled himself up short and regained control immediately.  He would not fall apart, not now and certainly not here.  

Reluctantly allowing Gaele to pull away from him, Mike looked over and saw the new turtle.  He recognized almost at once his own likeness in her face.  At the very least, it sealed the facts of her genetics as Don had presented them to him.  However, he became concerned.  The moment their eyes locked, hers had grown large and wondering.  Then her body began to shake slightly as she started to breathe heavily. 

Trying to talk softly since he figured he had startled her, he introduced himself, "Hi there Ramiela, my name is Mike."  He sensed her anxiety and felt compassion for her almost instantly.

Rama had noticed him the moment he entered the room.  Upon seeing Mike and hearing his voice, the locked door that was deep within her own subconscious mind brought forth a flood of memories that assaulted her.  They overwhelmed her like a drowning wave.  Things she hadn't been sure of were falling into place rapidly while other things told her something else was terribly wrong.  This whole situation didn't sit right with her, not since Mike had entered the room.   Everything that she saw or had seen so far was starting to conflict with what she was now remembering as normal.  As her memory started to resurface, Rama began to recognize who and what she was.  It was like a drop of water landing in a pond with the ripple effect expanding outward. The more she recollected the worse things became for her.

Watching Mike stride towards her, she noticed that he was wearing a coat; she also noticed something even more startling!  

Don looked at Ramiela.  He suddenly saw and sensed her reaction.  He knew that for some reason seeing Mike had caused Ramiela far more stress than he had had wanted for her. As he sensed her confusion and panic, he moved to the edge of the bed to comfort her.  

Suddenly Ramiela threw herself back against the headboard, letting loose a scream.  Her hands reached up to clutch the sides of her head as the pain intensified.  She seemed on the edge of losing it completely.

"Ramiela, calm down, dear." Don pleaded softly, trying to hold her still.  He wasn't aware of the pain that assaulted the girl, or did her know the conflict that was going on inside of her.  All he could discern was her panic and a new type of confusion.

Then Rama pulled away from him in sheer terror and huddled into the upper corner of her bed.  She snapped out, "Where are his chuks?" Ramiela ranted, "Where are his chuks?" She yelled.  This scene wasn't right; she knew it.  Something was terribly wrong with the whole thing that was playing out before her.  The coat seemed wrong and the fact that he didn't have his 'chuks even more so!

At the sound of her words, however, Don's head shot up in surprise. If Ramiela knew of Mike's preferred weapon of choice, then it was a good bet that Mike had to be familiar with her too.

In that moment, Don felt he could quite literally kill his brother.  Yet he saw Mike's jaw drop in complete astonishment.  Don sensed then that his brother was just as surprised as he was.  It was an honest response and it further intensified the mystery of Ramiela.  Though he had felt a similar reaction earlier in his den from Mike, he truly believed it was an automatic reaction of denial.  Now, however, Don wasn't so sure about his accusations.

His immediate concern, though, was now on a more important task.  That task was to get Ramiela to calm down.  

With a wild look to her eyes, the poor girl was literally plastered up against the wall, hugging herself in abject fear and confusion.  All she could keep doing was to keep yelling, "Where are his chuks, where are they?  What have you done with them?"


	7. Enemy Mine

_Disclaimer:  We, Ramica and Reinbeauchaser, do not nor have we ever owned any mutated, martial arts crazed, butt kicking teenage chelonians.  Neither do we own the adult version or their offspring other than Ramiela (Rama) and Gabriella (Gabby).  Anyone who says differently and can prove otherwise is encouraged to have all residual checks made out to us!  If not, then read and review - pretty please!__LOL  _****

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**Chapter Seven – Enemy Mine**

In desperation, Rama squeezed her eyes tightly shut.  She slowly opened them again, hoping that she had been dreaming and somehow what she had just seen would change.  

Unfortunately, it did not.

"Ramiela please talk to me.  What is the matter; what's wrong?" Don inquired softly.  As he walked over to her, he sensed her renewed panic, but it was different somehow.  She was reacting as if everything had finally fallen into place but the pieces to the puzzle didn't quite fit.  She appeared tremendously confused.

Rama glanced up towards the one who had just spoken. She shook her head in denial.  She looked wide-eyed at him as if for the very first time.  She recognized him as her Uncle Donatello and, yet … he wasn't her uncle.  Uncle Donatello did not go roaming around topside.  Neither did he own a penthouse or businesses and nor did he wear such a fine leather coat. 

However, this Don _Tello_ did.

Rama then looked back over towards the other familiar form.  Mike looked like her dad but yet he wasn't her dad; he was different too, the coat notwithstanding.  He seemed older, as well; certainly not the thirty-five year old she remembered him to be.

Then there was Gaele who now sat across from her in the chair.  Don's niece did not look at all familiar to her.  Where had Gaele come from?  Rama knew that she herself was the oldest child in her Clan.  Yet Gaele had mentioned earlier of being twenty-eight.  That made her ten years older that Rama.  It just didn't make any sense.  Who could be her father?   It wasn't Don.  Certainly not Raph and most definitely not Leo; the girl's facial features just didn't match up.  Mike?  If it were true, then the Mike who appeared before her had to be much older than the one with whom she was familiar. 

_"What exactly is going on?"_ her mind screamed out.

In her wild panic, a thought popped into her head.  If it was true that the outside world accepted these mutants then it was possible that they didn't have to be ninja.  What kind of world had she woken up to, then?  Maybe she was hallucinating.  Maybe she was in a coma and this was her mind's way of coping.  Maybe – she was dead.  No, Rama was certain she wasn't dead.  In fact, there was too much going on that said she was very much alive.

_"Okay, so nix the 'dead' idea."_ She thought silently, which was just fine with her. She didn't favor the thought of being dead anyway.

Thinking about her own family, though, caused her to recall Splinter who had taught her dad and uncles ninjitsu. Its purpose was to keep them safe from the human population.  It was also imperative for them to hide because the outside world might never have accepted them.  With their training, they were able to live virtually unknown and unseen by the general population, residing all of their lives in the sewers of New York City.  The thought of her home brought a bit of melancholy to the girl, however.  She dearly missed its familiar and comforting surroundings.  How she wished she could just click her heels and find herself back in the sewers once again.

Yet the thought of her training brought her a moment of calmness and with it the realization that she ought to put it to good use.  She had the ability to clear her mind so that she could think rationally.  Therefore, Rama began to focus her thoughts.  She used all of her mental skills to force the feelings of panic and confusion back.  Doing otherwise wasn't helping her anyway.  Right now, she needed to concentrate on something else.  After all, she was a kunoichi.  Just because she was in unfamiliar surroundings didn't give her the excuse to panic. Rama knew that if he learned she reacted in such a way, Sensei would not be at all happy with her.   A stern lecture from him would be her reward if he ever discovered that she allowed her emotions to prevail! 

Sensing the wild turmoil in Ramiela in one moment and then in the next the clam stillness she now expressed, Don was aware of the kind of control it required.  He furrowed his eye-ridges slightly.  It was clearly apparent that someone had trained her quite well.  That 'someone' would have to have an extensive knowledge of such matters - a master of the 'craft'- and one who was well versed in the 'arts.  It was a person Don would dearly love to meet and to know.   This mystery person had obviously instructed Ramiela thoroughly.  However, in spite of the control she had just demonstrated, the wild panic just moments before had weakened some of her reserves.

"Ramiela what happened?" He asked softly in concern as he sat slowly onto the edge of her bed.  Don was admiring the girl more and more as she seemed to be dipping further into whatever training she was now exercising.

Rama looked at him and licked her lips in reflective consideration before answering. She wondered how much she should tell Don and the others. Perhaps for now she ought to keep silent about the fact that she was not in her own world.  She did not know how safe it was and needed time to think things through before saying anything at all about her family.  It would be prudent to reveal very little to these mutants.  If she attempted to tell them the truth, they could assume she was crazy.  Rama was capable of figuring things out on her own, anyway. Somehow, strange as it sounded to her, she had obviously left her real home and had come to 'here' wherever 'here' was.  Yet, she was certain that she could find her way back again.  The only problem Rama saw was how she was to go about doing it.

_'Oh, Kunoichi, what have you gotten yourself into this time?'_ she wondered silently to herself.

"Ramiela…" Don began again as he was disturbed by her prolonged silence.

Slowly as if determining her reply one word at a time, "Oh, uh I'm sorry Don. I just think that um…my scrambled brain finally got it together."  She smiled weakly, "Humpty Dumpty was put back together again after all." Rama muttered tiredly, "I'm sorry I'm probably not making much sense but … I am suddenly quite tired and my head hurts so very much!"  She then sank back into the bed, slipping further under the covers.

"Do you know Mike?" Don asked her softly, nearly holding his breath.  Unbeknown to him, Mike was doing likewise.

Rama looked towards the mutant that reminded her so much of her own father.  She replied hesitantly, "He … reminds me of someone but I can't say that I know _him_ personally."

It was the truth and yet it sounded very lame to her, especially after how she had just reacted to him.

Mike gave her an apologetic smile, "I didn't startle you did I, Ramiela?"  He studied her and saw how similar they were to each other in features. 

_"Yes, in deed, explaining this to Rahab is going to take a performance worthy of an Oscar!"_ he thought to himself ruefully.

In many ways, Mike had surprised her. However, Rama only shrugged. "Not really.  You were just a key to a locked door is all." she muttered as she settled her head deeper into the pillow.

"That's all it was then, Ramiela?" Mike wondered, cocking one eye ridge and not quite believing her.  He had sensed there was something that Rama was not telling him, despite her assurances.  It was something she was trying to hide and perhaps due to her weakened condition wasn't able to conceal very well.  Nonetheless, Mike was impressed with how efficient she had regained control of herself, all things considered.

"Yeah that's it.  Ah, you said your name was Mike, right?" Rama asked curiously. 

Saying his name sounded odd to her.  It seemed so strange to be saying her father's given name instead of calling him 'Dad'.  This Mike wasn't her father though any more than Don Tello was her uncle.  Odd as it might seem to call them by their shorter name it would help her differentiate them from her own family.  Therefore, she allowed herself the privilege to be on a first name basis with them with out the labels of respect.

"Mike Angelo" he grinned offering his hand to her.

"Can you do a favor for me, Mike, and just call me Rama instead?" Ramiela asked as she shook his hand.  It seemed odd to her, to take his hand in that manner. She felt the familiar touch of his skin and keened just a little inside, realizing how much she was missing him.  However, when he grabbed hers there was a different kind of strength there.  It seemed as if he had practiced for years grabbing onto hands that were weaker in comparison and then adjusting his own strength as a result.  Yet as similar as he was in both looks and voice she didn't want him calling her by her full name.  Because she wasn't used to her father using her full name it made her far too uncomfortable for this Mike to do likewise.

"Sure I can do that Rama," Mike agreed amicably and then he chuckled a little, perking up some, "Raph wanted to know how to shorten it anyway, so…"

Rama snorted and declared sternly, "_He_ can call me by my full name! _I_ decide who calls me that and anyone who calls me that without _my_ permission is going to find out the hard way that it is not allowed."  However, she had overtaxed herself with her volatile reaction and the events just prior.  She gave a massive yawn, indicating how very tired she had become.

Don grinned at Ramiela's attitude.  She was showing the kind of moxie she possessed with that statement.  He had to wonder then what she would be like if she hadn't been so injured.  Nevertheless, seeing how exhausted she was he felt it might be wiser to let her have some privacy so she could rest.

"Everyone come on out let Ramiela get some sleep." He ordered, shooing his family out of the room.  He looked back at her and noticed that she was already there. It was a good sign.  It meant that she was no longer on the defense but had accepted things as they were.  He smiled at her peaceful expression, confident now that she would fully recover.

Once the bedroom door closed, the rest of the members made them selves comfortable in the living room.  Mike then asked, "Don, what exactly did she mean about her brain being scrambled?"  He was quite concerned.  Though he knew he wasn't Rama's father, Mike felt drawn to protect her regardless.

"I believe, Mike, that she may have suffered a slight bout of amnesia in the attack that injured her. She did have head trauma and she wasn't too sure of things at first." Don explained, "Though her memory obviously has just resurfaced I don't think it was the best time for it to happen. She's been through a lot, it seems."  He gave a sad shake of his head.

Don sighed in anticipation.  Very soon, he might be able to get some answers to the many questions he had about the young mutant.  Though he was not willing to burden Ramiela with them right now, when he felt she was ready he would present them to her.  He also realized that she hadn't said anything about Mike's 'chuks after her initial outburst.  It was almost as she had forgotten – or that she elected to dismiss it for the time being.  That was probably the greatest mystery of all.  How would she even know about Mike's weapon of choice if she claimed just a moment ago of not ever seeing him before today?

"Yet it seems, dear brother," Don said directing his comment to Mike, "… that you and you alone were the trigger for her memory to resurface!"  As his steely gaze cut through the innocent expression on his younger sibling's face, Don added, "She seemed genuinely terrified of you!"

"If I had seen Mike's ugly mug for the first time I'd be terrified too." Raph teased.  Then he said to his other brother, "She sure is an excitable one, Don,"

Though he was not in the bedroom at the time, Raph hadn't missed the powerful wave of emotions erupting from there.  "I have a feeling she's going be harder to get on that plane than Gabby was the first time."  He commented to no one in particular.  Raph sighed deeply at the painful memory.  He thought of the fear his daughter once had about flying.  The effort it took three years ago to get her on board Don's jet was traumatizing to her.  However, Gabby had made a remarkable recovery nonetheless.  She now delighted in traveling; hopping on any jet Don invited her to board.   Raph had to smile with how far she had come in her training, too. 

"Yes," Don replied, "I have been considering that. We haven't said too much to Ramiela about it because we didn't want to stress her out before we left. I think the easiest way to do it will be to subdue her with Leo's tea."

Raph gave a wry chuckle at Don's words and grinned, "That ought to work," he agreed.

Don agreed, "I thought it would.  It certainly would make things easier for her, especially where she is so nervous around humans. I have a feeling if she knew what was going to happen to her she would try to fight us or escape and that wouldn't do her any good at all." He sighed, adding, "I just feel it might be better all the way around if she wakes up on the plane instead."

Mike listened as the two of them talked.  He wasn't really paying attention since his mind was on other matters.  Soon he found himself walking over to gaze out the expansive window.  He looked down at the street far below from where he stood.  Heights never bothered him much, but being thirty-eight stories up gave him a slight case of vertigo.  He smiled and realized that it had indeed been quite a while since he had visited Don in his penthouse.  Suddenly Mike felt an arm encircle one of his and he turned to see that Gaele had sided up next to him.  He smiled at her and she returned the expression, leaning her head on his shoulder.  Mike took his arm away from hers and wrapped it around her, pulling his daughter in to him affectionately.  They stood side by side, the two of them gazed out the window below with Gaele sighing once and then resting in her father's embrace.

Mike suspired as well.  He wondered how he was going to tell Rahab about Ramiela. He still could not understand how he was able to be the father of the young mutant. He didn't know how she had ended up with his facial features or genetic markers for that matter.  He knew that Don didn't believe him and, considering the evidence against him, Mike couldn't blame Don for his doubts.  It just didn't make any sense.  To make matters worse, Mike was starting to doubt his own innocence as well.

"Sure love you, honey!" Mike said softly to his daughter, laying his head against hers.

"Love you, too, Daddy!" Gaele replied back, her voice full of worry and concern.  What was she going to do?  What would happen to her family, now?  What changes were in store for them? 

Gaele thought to herself, _"Mom's gonna have a 'cat', I just know it!"_

---------------------------------

The next morning everyone was up bright and early.  They wanted to arrive in California as soon as possible to give Ramiela as much time to adjust as they could.  After a light breakfast, Don gave Rama the tea about an hour or so before departing.  Remembering its sweet and pleasant flavor, she drank it quite willingly; unaware of its intent and that it had been prepared to make her sleep.  As far as she was concerned, the tea was the same one that Don had made her the day before.

Don waited a while to make sure she was well under its influence before moving her.  Then, once he was certain that Ramiela was in a deep sleep, he carried her gingerly from the penthouse with the rest of the family in tow.  Once they were in the parking garage, he slipped her gently into the back seat of the limo, belting her in snugly.

Then, Gaele said her good-byes to everyone in the garage since she had to leave and return to Connecticut.  She seemed sad and pensive as she looked up at her father.  "Bye, Daddy." She kissed Mike on the cheek.  She then whispered softly, "I know that mom will be mad at first, but she forgives – after a while."  Then she said into his ear, "Maybe you ought to make up that sofa in the den for the time being, eh?" Gaele's face creased with a small smile as she pulled away to look at him, trying to humor her father. 

However, she could see almost immediately that this time she had missed her mark.  Mike was genuinely concerned with how his wife, whom he loved more than anything else, would react.  He looked so lost and forlorn as he leaned in to kiss Gaele on the forehead, saying, "Hmm…maybe I'll end up coming out to visit with you for a while, eh?" He chuckled lightly, though there wasn't any cheer in his voice. "How does having a home cooked meal every night sound?" he teased half-heartedly. 

Gaele shrugged the familiar Mike Angelo shrug that came with being his daughter. "Better if it was in California, I think!"

With that, Gaele slipped into her sports car, waving goodbye and leaving the garage.  The rest of the family would have to deal with Ramiela on their own and whatever else came their way out in California.

As Mike watched her leave, he thought about what his daughter had said.  He was quite certain that if Rahab afforded him the den's sofa bed, he would count himself mighty lucky! 

---------------------------------

The trip to the airport only took about fifteen minutes.  LaGuardia International wasn't that far from Don's penthouse.  Before too long, they had Ramiela boarded on the large 737 and comfortably laying on one of the sleeping berths, safely strapped in for take-off.  Mike elected to sit in the seat closest to the bedroom area, just in case she woke up unexpectedly.   It was a given that he might be the only one to control her based on her obvious recognition of him.  Though she had denied it, all of them had agreed that she knew him despite her reasons to the contrary. 

After a couple of hours, Mike took a break and allowed Raph to watch Ramiela.  Raph sat watching the young mutant, thoughtful as he studied her features.  He recalled about how Ramiela reacted to him earlier that morning when Don introduced Raphael to her.  Though it was the first time he had ever seen her, it seemed as if Ramiela was familiar with him.  Nevertheless, she had denied meeting him before when questioned, despite what his senses had told him.  Raph had to agree with Don that the mystery surrounding Ramiela was quite intriguing.  It was certainly going to be interesting when all the 'cards' were laid out and their many questions about her were answered. 

The first part of the trip went uneventfully.  Ramiela slept peacefully while her benefactors talked quietly among themselves about family and their personal work.  They were only about two hours shy of sitting down in San Jose when Don came over to where Raph was sitting. 

Raph glanced towards his brother and lamented softly, "We really should have done this with Gabby."

At the sound of his voice, Rama stirred slightly and mumbled something incoherently in Japanese.  Her eyes flitted a little and then she was still once again.

Raph arched an eye ridge "Did you catch what she just said because I sure didn't."

"No. But she does seem to understand a little of the Japanese language," Don gave a reflective smile, saying, "She called my employees 'bakas'." He looked over at the sleeping form.  Rama was starting to stir again and that caused Don to frown slightly.

She was starting to wake up even though the sleeping tea should have kept her out for a while longer.  As Don watched her come out of her sleep, he wondered if her training included fighting off such things in the same way that ninja were to reject certain poisons.  Raph also watched the slowly waking form as Don motioned to Mike that things were going to get interesting. 

Out of curiosity, Mike walked silently over to the sleeping berths, watching his brothers as they in turn watched Rama.  He, too, knew that the mutant was waking prematurely.  What would Rama do when she found out that she was no longer in the penthouse but thirty-two thousand feet in the air and flying at six hundred miles per hour?

Rama slowly woke up.  She quickly scanned the room and then saw both Don and Raph nearby.   Mike was easing his way into her line of sight and she noticed he had caught her gaze.  He smiled a little.  She tried to smile back, but then realized that something was wrong.  In the next moment, she immediately sensed that where she was sleeping wasn't the penthouse bedroom.  In fact, she was sure she wasn't in the penthouse at all, not with the slight vibration and swaying motion she was feeling. If that didn't confirm her strange surroundings, certainly the audible drone of a powerful machine did.  Yet try as she might to determine its source, Rama could not figure out where or what it came from.  It sounded almost like the wind and yet it didn't.  Then, a sudden lurch took the room as it dipped down and then back up again, leveling out once more.  After that, the 'room' seemed relatively still – except for the slight vibration. 

She startled, wide-eyed and insecure.  "Wh - where am I?" she croaked apprehensively, looking desperately over at Don and the others, holding onto the safety railing that kept her in the bed.

As he sensed her trepidation, Don informed her, "Ramiela, I want you to remain calm.  We have everything under control and you are safe.  We are taking you to Mike's place in California.  At the present moment …" and here Don hesitated as he walked over to her, catching her large questioning eyes, "…you are on a jet, a 737 to be exact.  I happen to own it."

Ramiela jerked back at that answer but found that the safety strap across her plastron kept her from retreating any further.  Kunoichi or not this was something beyond the realm of her experience.  She didn't even know how a ninja could save their life from something that might go tragically wrong in the air.  She was terrified and it showed in her large eyes, but she was also angry with Don for tricking her so easily.  "If TURTLES were meant to fly we would have been born with WINGS!" She snapped loudly at Don, almost yelling.

Don smiled, "That is why I own planes." he countered lightly. He tried to broaden his grin but it was apparent that Ramiela was not going to be placated with something so simple.

Rama growled but realized there was little she could do to get her feet back on good old terra firma.  It wasn't that she was afraid of heights, it was that she had never been this high up before in her life.  She had seen planes flying overhead in the city at night, their lights winking off and on as they headed in and out of the local airport.  Though they were fascinating, Rama had always commented to herself how foolish humans were to trust such modes of transportation. How could anything as big and heavy as a plane even manage to stay airborne?  Donatello had tried to explain to her about aerodynamics, but Rama would have none of it.  She had heard too many stories about planes crashing and, therefore, couldn't possibly trust their safety … especially with the one she was on currently.  She worried about crashing and didn't like that idea at all.  However, rejecting that thought from her mind was becoming almost impossible.  She attempted to dip into her training once more to control the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm her again.  Yet try as she might, though, she found it quite difficult this time.  All she could think about was her home.

Left to her own devices Rama had wanted to stay in New York City.  With its familiar sights and sounds, she found great comfort in it.  With everything so strange and different at the penthouse, she needed that small comfort.  However, the other mutants seemed to feel that California would be a better place for her.  However, they never mentioned how they would get her there, though. If she had her full memory back at that time, Rama knew she would have never cooperated. 

Now this jet was taking her far from the only place she knew.  Even worse, it might be taking Rama away from her only chance to return to the sewers she called home. She lived in New York City and she had ended up in Don's care in a place called New York City. That meant she might have to be in that city to get back to her real family again.  If she had known or suspected Don's cunning and duplicity, she would have escaped during the previous night. 

However, weakened from the attack that had put her in his guardianship in the first place, she was unprepared.  Yet, Ramiela was sure that if push came to shove, she could have managed on her own.  She was quite capable of eking out an existence for herself in the sewers while figuring out how to get back to where she truly belonged.

Now all of her decisions were decided by someone else – and without her permission, too!

As she realized the full force of what was happening, anger replaced her fear.  Rama then turned a hard baleful glare on Don. 

She seethed with every ounce of malice that she could muster, "**Just who died and made you my dad? What gives you the authority to make these choices for me**?" She seethed at him as her voice rose with intensity, "Listen up, genius, you might control a lot of people in your life but I am not going to be one of them!" 

Then with a resolution that sent shivers down Mike's back, Rama declared, "You have managed with one act alone of making me – your worst enemy!" 

With that, she set her expression hard and unforgiving upon the three turtles.  As she strengthened her hard gaze on them, they became somewhat uneasy by the force of her words and her appearance. 

Raph leaned over to Don, who sided up to his brother as if assessing the now very volatile and hostile Ramiela, "Next time we have to do this – make it a double dosage, okay?  I think we're going to be in for a wilder ride than Gabby gave us!" 

Don nodded silently in agreement.

From the other side of Don, Mike could be heard mumbling under his breath, "You sure it was my genetic markers and not Raph's!"

All Don could do was offer an understanding chuckle.

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_LADY VENON2__:  Ramica and I are trying very hard to put the emotion in this.  I mean, how can we not?  Rama's already a very complex character – somewhat intimidating for me, to be honest – and she's in a very strange situation.  Don in this universe is based on Wendy A. Peabody's Rahab, Gaele, and Seth descendent series written back in the late 1990's.  I tried to stick to the canon of the characters based on Wendy's take of them.  I kind of like them this way.   Thanks for reading and reviewing!_

_The following responses are Ramica's.  I've decided that she should have something to say re: what all of you are commenting on regarding this story since she is co-writing it with me. I am probably remiss in not having Ramica's responses sooner and for that, I apologize.  I may or may not voice my opinion after Ramica's!  Depends on my gray matter and how it's feeling.  :0)_

_ I should note that from chapters 1 – 3 and chapters 6  -  9 have been and will be Ramica's ideas with augmentations by Reinbeauchaser.  However, Reinbeauchaser is hoping to get her duff going and start contributing more than just augmenting and beta reading!  This may mean that updates on the other stories may take longer!  She has just so much creativity, ya know!   Blame starting too many stories for my lack of involvement with the ideas for this one!  AND I forced myself to NOT post any more new ideas because of it.  If I hadn't, there'd be at least two new ones to make me go crazy!  LOL_

_DANCINGFAE__: __You got that one right Rama just isn't use to seeing her dad without his trust chucks close by. Hence, part of the reason she panicked. She knew it wasn't right and it was her way of voicing it. So glad you picked up on it._

_PRETENDER FANATIC__: Between two writers going on this story if both of us get blocked at the same time then we are really in big trouble! But, thanks for the suggestions._

_Well, my gray matter is tired.  Thanks, Ramica, for your responses! _


	8. Family Familiar

_Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada!__ Nothing's changed. We still don't own 'em. Can't sue, so don't even try. _

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**Chapter Eight.**** - Family Familiar!**

Mike quickly glanced towards Don and then shot his gaze back to the seething female. He wondered if his brother had misjudged Ramiela as far as her reaction was concerned. It was a well-known fact within the clan that Don easily discerned unvoiced intentions; it was also his claim to fame in the business world as well. Therefore, it was on rare occasions whenever he failed to do so.

One of those occasions was when Gabriella had out-foxed Don when she first arrived at the Big Sur compound. She tried again several weeks later when the clan had gone to town for some Halloween festivities in Carmel. However, after that, everyone became a little wiser regarding her, especially Don! Yet, observing Ramiela's current reaction and then sensing his brother's rising trepidation, Mike wondered what other kind of unforeseen problems she would bring to them. While they all agreed that Rama might respond better to Mike because she seemed to have recognized him, Don was the one who had known her the longest. Yet, how well could he know her? It had only been two days ago that he had first found Ramiela. It went without saying, then, that despite their ability to discern her moods, the young lady was still very much a stranger to them all.

Yet, as he watched her, Mike could easily sense Ramiela's desperate longing to be back in New York. It was a strong yearning that seemed almost as powerful as her rising ire for their duplicity. He took note of her eyes and the subtle flush to her complexion, which told Mike that Rama was also experiencing some sort of embarrassment. At first, he couldn't figure out why she would feel that way. Yet, as he thought about it, her feelings seemed to coincide with her reaction for the way they had tricked her. It was quite possible that because she was so easily fooled she was not happy with herself as a result. He found that observation to be very interesting.

_"Why would she feel that way? Did she believe herself capable of that kind of discernment, to know when someone was going to drug her?"_ he asked himself silently.

Mike then thought that maybe another round of Leo's tea would benefit Rama. Yet almost in the next moment, he knew that they wouldn't be getting any more into her for a while, not after what the last batch had done to her. It was obvious to Mike and probably to his brothers, as well, that Rama had figured out how they were able to disable her.

Mike then tried to explain, hoping to get her to see reason, "Listen, Rama, we had only your best interest in mind. It's just that Don didn't want you getting all worried about how we were going be getting you out to my place in California." However, the fire he saw in her eyes told him she was going to be anything but understanding.

"So you just go BARGING ahead without even consulting _me_?" Rama snapped as she shot a steely, ice-cold glare his way "I'm NOT a child to have decisions made for**!**"

Rama was silently thankful for the many battles she had with her dad over the past few years. If it weren't for that, yelling at his counterpart would have seemed far too bizarre to her. It was also just as well Sensei's twin wasn't here, either. She wasn't sure if a Leonardo existed in this place or not but there did seem to be a twin for her dad and uncles. Therefore, it made sense that a Leo lived here as well. If this were true and as she thought about it, Rama was glad he didn't accompany his brothers. If Sensei had been here she would probably have found herself biting back more of her anger then letting it loose as she was doing now. With all of the training she had gone through over the years, it would have seemed very disrespectful to yell at him. Regardless of his position here compared to her world, Leonardo would still be to Rama her honored Sensei and Jonin of the Clan.

After Rama's tart reply, Mike could only shrug. He had tried to use logic but it seemed his efforts went unappreciated. Right now, he wasn't too sure what to try next. He did admire Rama's grit, though. Yet, he knew that even all the admiration in the world wasn't going to make dealing with her any easier. They were going to have to try other measures if they were to gain any cooperation from her.

Rama gave a low unintelligible growl and looked down at the straps that hindered her. She looked back up at her captors, smiling inwardly. She continued to stare at them to keep them distracted, all the while mindful of the belt that restricted her. It wouldn't take long!

"Ramiela, if we were to consult with you," Don explained with deep sincerity, "I don't think you would have been too cooperative. Your reaction might have only jeopardized your health."

Rama snorted and rolled her eyes contemptuously, agreeing, "You might be right about that, Don. Yet…," and with a voice saccharine sweet but dripping with sarcasm, she remarked, "waking up on a flying death-trap thousands of feet up in the air _isn't_ endangering my health?"

Raph grinned inwardly, nearly laughing out loud. After years of listening to Mike's complaints about Devon being too much like his dad, now Mike was saddled with a teenage daughter who had a bite of her own. Raph rather enjoyed the irony of it, yet he also had to admire Ramiela's attitude at the same time.

"Ah right, kid, so maybe we were wrong not to tell ya…" Raph began but before he could continue, she sharply cut him off.

"No? You think?" Rama's anger flared sarcastically, "That's the biggest understatement if I ever heard one." She didn't bother correcting Raph on calling her 'kid'. After all, her own Uncle Raphael used that with her so she would allow this Raphael the same familiarity - so long as he didn't try calling her Rama.

"The thing is, Ramiela ...," Raph explained, "...we did it for a reason. Right now, we're only about an hour and a half away from setting down in California. 'Sides, Don's planes are the safest around." He was trying to assure her that the trip was indeed almost over.

"Why in the world should I trust you on that or any other topic?" Rama demanded tersely.

Don felt her hostility and he didn't know how much of it was because of the present situation or how much of her attitude was due to them tricking her. The plane most definitely frightened her, that much was certain. Yet it was a given that since yesterday when she first saw Mike, her stress levels had shot through the roof. Probably the combination of the two situations had caused her great distress. Nevertheless, for the time being there wasn't much he could do about it.

Don sighed,"Look, Ramiela, if you want to return to New York later on after you're healed, I can bring you back." He vowed, "Right now however, you are not in the best of health and your panic isn't helping." Don used his calm soothing voice in hopes of relaxing her. He further explained, "Mike's home will provide you with everything you need to fully recuperate. His place is very secluded and protected. You can go outside to get plenty of fresh air without worrying about people seeing you. Mike can provide you with enough good food to eat, as well. You can take walks in the forest that he has there, too, if you want. It's like paradise, Ramiela!" Don continued ticking off these points on his fingers "You will be with other mutants similar to yourself and most of all Mike has a gym and a pool that you can use for therapeutic reasons to help you recover."

"So what? I would have been just fine back home!" Rama snarled vehemently, her defiance overshadowing her slightly piqued interest with what Don just told her. Considering his recent show of deceit in getting her on his plane, _seeing_ was going to be her first rule of thumb before _believing_!

"You are in no situation to look after your self right now, Ramiela. The advantages of taking you to Mike's outweigh your desire for home." Don replied calmly yet forcibly. However, he caught the fact that Rama had implied New York as being her home. Whether Ramiela was aware of it or not, her statement had provided a small clue to unraveling the mystery surrounding her. "I'll be staying there for a few days to insure that you get settled. Then, I have other businesses to attend to that will keep me away for a short while. I want to assure you that you will be in good hands with Mike's family. You might actually say that his family is your family." Don felt glum with the last statement as he anticipated a less than cheerful welcome from Rahab. He was hoping that his sister-in-law would defer whatever argument she would have with Mike to the privacy of their bedroom and not do it in front of Ramiela. The last thing the girl needed right now was to feel that she was the instigator of marital strife.

By this time, Rama had succeeded in freeing the strap that restrained her and had swung up into a sitting position. Though her efforts were not lost on the trio of turtles, they were impressed with how efficiently she had done the deed. Rama cast a dark smoldering glare on the three that faced her, her brow furrowed in thought and consideration. She didn't know if she could trust Don's promise of taking her back home when she was better. He hadn't exactly proven himself all that trustworthy for the moment. Still she had to admit to herself that she didn't have any real interest in being on the plane any longer than was necessary. If they were that close to landing, Rama knew it would take longer to get back to New York. Yet, she highly doubted her ability to convince them to turn the plane around as it was. From what little time she had been with them, she could sense they had a determination and strength that would be formidable if push came to shove.

However, though she was still quite angry and upset with the whole lot of them, she felt especially betrayed by Raph. It was probably because her own uncle Raphael would never dream of doing such a thing to her. She didn't know how far she could trust him or the others, now. Little by little, she was coming to the realization that she didn't have much choice in the matter either way. She would just have to make the best of it. Rama did in deed want to be off the plane and quickly, too. Nevertheless, she would have to worry about other things later. She was not quite ready to let go of her resentments, however. She knew that the three that faced her would learn soon enough that she was not a turtle to be trifled with.

With great reluctance, she gave in. "Fine; whatever! I suppose you're just going to do whatever you want to do any way." Ramiela announced in a miffed petulant tone and giving them all a sour eye at the same time. "But, I would be careful from now on. Don't say I didn't warn you, either!"

"Why do I have a feeling we may have won the battle but not the war on this issue?" Mike murmured under his breathe.

Rama, overhearing him, smirked. With a hint of amusement in her eyes, she replied with malicious glee and maybe a little too cheerfully, "Probably, Mike, because you are so very right."

Don sighed in resolution. He had a feeling that the healthy bit of fight he had admired earlier in his young charge was going to cause a great deal of trouble for him and everyone else in the near future. He sensed her grudging acceptance of their plans but her entire attitude was one of _'you can make me do it but you can't make me like it.'_ It was also bound to cause a great deal of headaches when it came to training her to become a member of their clan, too. Yet their biggest obstacle that he saw would probably be getting her to fit in with the rest of the world. True, Ramiela was not inexperienced the way Gabby had been regarding fighting, but clan life involved a great deal more than that. If Rama continued to hold to her animosity towards them, then her training would prove difficult at best. Don realized then that they would all have to work quite hard to regain her trust again if they expected her to cooperate for them later on. He also knew with complete clarity that from that point on he would have to tell Ramiela the truth and nothing but the truth.

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For the remainder of the trip to California, Ramiela amused herself by making several disparaging remarks about being their '_prisoner'_. She discovered very quickly that it irritated Don and it only fueled her determination to be the biggest pain in the _keister_he could possibly ever imagine!

"So am I going to be handcuffed when you escort me off the plane?" In truth, Rama wanted to know, even though her tone seemed to be half joking.

"I told you before you are not our prisoner, Ramiela." Don replied casually. He was beginning to see that there were many ways of becoming an antagonist. It was becoming very clear to him, after several sessions of repeating to her the very same phrase, that Rama was well versed in such tactics.

"Oh, then maybe you'll drug me like you did back in New York, I suppose?" she inquired, using her sweetest 'little girl' voice that she could muster.

"No, Ramiela, we're not going to drug you, either!" Don grated out. He was slowly losing patience with her.

"Hmm…no tea, then? Wellllll…. Maybe you're planning on knocking me over the head or something; you know, put my lights out?" Rama sneered from her side of the plane where she stood amid the gentle swaying and dipping of the jet.

Don only had to look over at her to imply that he was currently thinking it a good idea, but he shook his head and turned back around in his seat.

Rama sniggered sarcastically as if she had finally figured something out "Oh, I'm a hostage then! Isn't that what a hostage is, someone who's taken against their will?" She then sneered vehemently, her eyes narrowing and her face hard, "You are taking me against my will, you do know that don't you?"

"**_Yes_**, you have made us all very much aware of that fact" Don muttered impatiently. He shook his head and thought to himself, _"Forget doing a double dose, next time it'll be a triple dose of Leo's tea; if there ever is a next time!"_

Don looked over at her and mused silently that at least he had been right about one thing; Ramiela wasn't going to be forced do something against her will – not without repercussions anyway. He decided right then that to avoid any future trouble he would fill her in on what to expect regarding the landing and what would happen afterward. Don hoped that if she knew the particulars, she might cause fewer problems in the long run. He could hope, but as he had come to realize the true nature of this mutant, hope had as much chance as a snowball in the desert.

"Ramiela, since this is obviously your first flight…." He began evenly, trying to remain calm.

Rama, however, immediately interrupted him,

"_Only_ flight, okay? Not '_first'_ as in '_first of many'_; not even _'first'_ as in _'before the second one'_. It's my only flight – get it?" she snapped. "And don't even think of drugging me again or forcing me onto one of these things, either!"

Don took a long measured breath, mindful of two pairs of eyes watching him, one of which had an amused look to them. That pair belonged to Raphael. The other belonged to Mike and his mood was coming through loud and clear as being just a little apprehensive about bringing a potential disturbance into his home. Rama was slowly proving herself everyone's worse nightmare - just as she had promised.

"As I was going to say, Ramiela," Don began again, his words a little more measured, "with this being your _first_ time flying, landing will require that you be seated and belted in."

"And if I don't want to?" she asked sharply, folding her arms across her plastron in defiance.

"Then you risk being thrown to the floor of the cabin and re-injuring yourself." He replied casually, turning away from her to let her digest that bit of news.

"Y- you would do that to - me?" she asked worriedly, her eyes growing slightly wider. Yeah, maybe she was kunoichi, but these three that sat before her were anything but lightweights. Just their noticeable physiques told her they knew something about getting things done their way. She noticed a bit of smile creasing along her opponent's face and it irritated her just a little.

"No." Don smiled thinly, looking back over towards her, "but the plane would. It gets a little _bumpy_ sometimes with landing." He cocked his head slightly in equal sarcasm to hers, "The updrafts can play _havoc_ with the _wings_." He saw a little sobriety finally alight in Ramiela's face; she was taking this 'landing idea' a little more seriously moment by moment.

"I … um…see…." She commented softly, conceding for the moment, "So –where do I sit?"

From the minute she had freed herself from the bed, Rama had refused to sit down. She became defiant about joining the rest of them in the passenger section of the plane, electing to stand instead. Though she was still sore, she was determined not to show weakness, her stubborn attitude in full swing for the last hour.

"You may sit here next to me, if you'd like! You might find the window seat quite interesting." Don invited.

Rama looked over the seating area and noticed that Mike and Raph were not by any of the windows. "If it's such a great place to sit, why aren't they sitting in them?"

"We like aisle seating because it allows us to be out first!" Mike replied casually. "There's nothing wrong with the window seat, though." He added. He turned back away from Rama, still worrying a great deal about his own welcome at home.

Ramiela thought about it and realized that, so far, the plane had done exactly what Raph had mentioned earlier. It had stayed in the air and hadn't yet threatened to crash. Although she was still upset with them, just a little bit of curiosity started seeping in under her resentment. She nodded her acceptance. Don then slid easily out of his seat to allow her access to the one next to him. Rama hesitantly eased her way into the chair, but hung back away from the window just a little. Don then slipped back into his own seat and re-fastened his belt.

"Ramiela, I think you should belt yourself in. We're about thirty minutes out from San Jose. We'll be going over the Sierras. That means we can expect some updrafts and turbulences." Don instructed.

Rama had never used a seat belt before. It was therefore quite comical to watch her take both belts from each side of her seat and then tie them in front of her. Raph had been watching and when he saw how the girl was belting herself in, he had to turn away to conceal his smirk. Soon, a muffled guffaw erupted from Mike, as it was obvious Raph had just told him what Rama was doing.

Don, however, took the initiative, trying not to reveal his own amusement, "Here, this end snaps into the other end, like this…" he untied Rama's belt and snapped the one end into its mate, "Then, you pull the tail of the belt until it's snug!"

Angered by the obvious amusement the others were having over her, Ramiela jerked the belt tail hard. However, instead of making it snug, she nearly embedded the belt into her plastron. She was nearly gasping for air until Don quickly released the clasp and loosened the straps again.

"Next time," he gently admonished, "don't put so much of yourself into the tug! It's not martial arts, okay?" He was smiling now only because Ramiela had such a look of shock on her face from how easily the strap adjusted. She then followed his directions and was finally snug into her seat and not gasping for air at the same time!

"What happens when we land?" she asked worriedly, settling back against the seat.

"We disembark. I have a limo waiting where Thomas will drive us to Mike's place. It'll be about a two hour drive to the house."

"Is – Thomas on board?" Ramiela asked nervously.

Don looked over at her and smiled, "Yes, he is. He goes everywhere with me. However, right now he's sitting in the pilot's cabin. I'll introduce you to him later when we land."

"That's all right; you don't need to do that." She remarked, turning her attention over to the window to her right.

"Ramiela, Thomas is my valet and a good friend. Don't you have human friends?" Don asked. He was trying to placate her and ease her nervousness, but at the same time, he wanted to find out a little more about her.

"Yes, in fact… "Rama began to answer, but then she caught herself. She did not feel quite ready to 'tell all' regarding her family and their convoluted attributes. In time, maybe she would, but for now, she would stick to her original plan about keeping silent.

"Hmm…I see." Don caught her reluctance, "Well, then consider Thomas a qualified 'friend'. He would protect you with his very life if it ever came down to it!"

"Or I his, I suppose?" Rama turned a questioning look at Don.

"I hope so. Although Thomas is more than skilled to take care of himself." Don smiled and then nodded towards the window, "Take a look! We're going over Yosemite Falls right now." Don had flown this route so many times that he knew instinctively where certain landmarks were.

"Yosemite Falls?" Ramiela turned quickly to the window and pressed her face into the thick glass. She gasped at first at seeing how high up she was, but when she caught sight of the thin ribbon of water flowing down the face of the mountain far below her, she became transfixed. She then asked, "There's a mountain over there that looks as if a sword has cut it in half."

"That's Half Dome…it's quite famous. Have you ever heard of it?" Don answered, asking.

"I haven't even heard of Yosemite Falls…." Rama's voice trailed off as she was entranced by the spectacle below her. "Are those trees down there?" she asked breathlessly.

Don could sense her awe with what she was seeing. "Yes, there's quite a few spruce, some giant Sequoia – sort of like the Redwoods, and other varieties. It's a beautiful place, Ramiela. Maybe while you are here we can take a trip over there."

"Are people down there, too?" she asked as she peeled her face away from the window to look at him.

"Yes, there is." He replied simply. He easily noted her nervousness, though.

Rama didn't say anything in reply, but returned her gaze to the window next to her. She continued to look down as the landscape gave way from the mountains and greenery of the Sierra Nevada to the valley of the San Joaquin. She watched as various cities came into view, tiny and almost toy-like. The thin ribbon of highways and the specks of moving vehicles that moved along them intrigued her equally as much. However, the closer the plane came to San Jose with its descent, the larger the landscape, roads, and buildings became. Houses and other structures seemed to grow larger with each passing second. Her eyes widened as she saw people, tiny dots to her, walk slowly around a schoolyard as the jet flew hundreds of feet overhead. Then, before she knew it, the runway lights appeared, slightly washed out from the midday sun. She tensed up as she saw the pavement suddenly appear to come up at her and in the next moment, she felt a slight but startling bump jar her back to reality.

"WHAT WAS THAT?" she asked with renewed panic.

"We're landing on the tarmac; it's just the wheels making contact with the pavement is all. We're fine. Look!" Don explained and then pointed out the window.

Rama looked and saw that they were now speeding along the runway. Yet, they were going faster than she had ever gone in her life. Just as she tensed up in reaction, she gasped as she felt herself thrown slightly forward against her restraints. The jet's decreasing speed had caught her off guard. Ramiela then slammed herself against the back of the seat in panic as she felt the plane decelerate even more. She heard the whine of the jet engines increase at the same time, heightening her concern a great deal.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?" she cried out, almost losing control of her ninjitsu calm and pretty much losing her attitude along the way.

"We're slowing down, Ramiela. The wing flaps have deployed to assist with our deceleration. What you are feeling is the drag it creates. Watch…" Don said patiently, pointing towards the window. He could sense her renewed fear and understood it all too well from what he experienced with Gabby three years earlier. However, he was now exercising more patience than he did back then. Ramiela was a different ball of wax all the way around compared to his niece.

Rama looked out the small round window and saw that they were in deed slowing down. The reduction of force from decelerating renewed her confidence again.

"How fast were we going, anyway?" she asked in wonder.

Don replied, "In the air, about five hundred to six hundred miles per hour. On landing though, we did about two hundred fifty."

Ramiela didn't say anything; the numbers Don shared were just too difficult to comprehend for the moment. She might have learned about all of that from her Donatello back home in New York City, but it was a completely different 'game' to experience it herself.

"When it's time to disembark, if you prefer, I can give you a coat to put on." Don offered.

Ramiela was thankful for his generosity. She nodded towards him eagerly. At least with that she wasn't going have to go out among humans undisguised. However, she wasn't feeling quite grateful enough to tell Don of her appreciation or his consideration for her.

She saw that the jet taxied itself away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the airport. Ramiela could see people milling about but they were far enough away where they didn't pose any threat to her. Moreover, she was on a jet and out of their reach. She soon felt the plane slow down and then it finally stopped. Rama noted that they were far away from the public terminal and over by what appeared to be private hangars.

Don reached in front of him and picked up the built-in phone that was in the back of the seat. "Thomas, we're ready."

Just then, the door to the pilot's cabin opened and a slight, short stature Asian man emerged. He was dressed all in black, his suit crisp and neat despite the long flight. His hair was trimmed short, almost military style. He had fine Asian features and walked with a gate that suggested self-control and strength.

Rama gasped a little and tensed up at the sight of the human. However, Don's hand gently rested on hers, quelling any initial reaction that she might have been planning. "Thomas has been with me for many years, Ramiela. As I said earlier he will not harm you!" Don informed her gently, smiling for reassurance.

Then, turning towards Thomas, who had just stopped where they sat, Don spoke to him in Japanese. In reply, he received a polite and courteous nod from his valet. The man then continued walking towards the rear door.

Ramiela considered Don's words; it wasn't that she was terrified of people. It was just she was used to hiding from them. For years, she had come to accept the fact that many people in the world would harm her or her family. Therefore, it was better to stay hidden away and then hide in the open if necessary. She knew some people could be friends and even marry into her clan, but you could never tell who might help you and who might hurt you for their own gain. In her weakened condition, she didn't have the strength to protect herself from those that might do harm or not have her best interest at heart. Consequently, Ramiela's initial response at seeing Thomas was to panic. Rama had learned a hard lesson years ago when she was just thirteen about what could happen to her family if they were ever found out. The faint mark on her arm reminded her of the tattoo that branded her back then. She absentmindedly rubbed it before mentally pushing back that horrible memory. Involuntarily, Rama shuddered at the thought.

Although her reaction was subtle, it did not go unnoticed by Don. He gently gripped her hand and warmed his expression, watching Ramiela as her own eyes followed Thomas's progress towards the exit door.

It never occurred to her that mutants could roam around freely among people. It was only in her dreams that she would even consider that. Yet to imagine having humans working for them as Don did almost seemed absurd to her. What kind of world was this? She had asked that of herself so many times since her memory came back and now, seeing Don's world in action, just a smidgen of hope started to grow. Nevertheless, Ramiela's innate tendency to avoid people would continue to guide her. Walking among them was going to take more time to get used to than just thinking about it - that was certain!

When Don gave her the coat he had promised her, he watched in fascination as she melted into it. The others watched as well, equally intrigued. After slipping it on with practiced ease, Rama turned the collar up and easily hunkering down to hide her face and neck in the folds of the material. Then, she ducked her head into it enough to hide herself further, tucking her hands into the pockets of the clothing. She had immersed herself into her disguise with the speed and accuracy of one well used to becoming a non-entity. All total, it took her less than five seconds to do the job. Where it was obvious before that she was a turtle, now what stood before the others was just a 'person' with a coat on. The top of her head showed just her dark brown hair; no hint of green could be seen.

Don couldn't help but frown as he recalled those days. He and his brothers had to do similar things to throw humans off while they lived in hiding. He looked towards them and could see that they had remembered, too. Their expression was one of understanding – and pity. Don wondered then, as he looked back at Ramiela, if maybe the sewers had been her home, as well. Her present actions seemed all too familiar to him, giving evidence to this new assumption.

As she was putting her disguise on, Ramiela had considered escaping once they had landed but she didn't really know where she was. How would she manage to find a safe but secure hiding spot, or food for that matter? She was too far away from New York as it was. She also knew that she was still too weak and, for the time being, decided to go along with the turtles. Rama would take the time to recuperate and learn as much as she could about this place and then, maybe, she would plan a way to get back home.

She did note soon enough, though, as they made for the opened doorway of the jet that the other turtles effectively boxed her in as much as possible. Don led the way with Raph to her left and Mike on her right. She was aware of Mike and Raph keeping a close and wary eye on her. However, as they came to the doorway, she hesitated. She could see people milling about, tending to the jet and unloading a few pieces of luggage that Don had stored in the underbelly of the plane. They seemed completely oblivious to Don as he descended the stairs. In fact, it almost seemed as if the humans deliberately took measures not to look at them. Maybe they received orders when the jet arrived to avoid any eye contact with them. Rama didn't know. All she knew was a strong need to hide. She hunched even more into the folds of her coat, mindful of the others boxing her in. It was obvious to her that even if she wanted to, escaping from their custody would be impossible.

Raph came in behind Rama and laid a gentle hand on the back of her coated carapace. "Easy, Ramiela, they're not goin' t'bite. If they do, I promise to bite back, okay?" Raph teased.

"Not funny, _Baka! "_ Ramiela snapped out in defense. Having humans see her was serious business and she didn't appreciate Raph teasing her about it. She heard Raph snort just a little, but she didn't care._ "Let him be ticked!"_ she thought to herself. _"At this point I could care less!"_

Yet, watching Don easily descend the stairs gave her courage to do likewise. She followed along, ever mindful of the busy-ness going on around the jet. Rama noticed the limo a few yards away with its opened door, beckoning to her a promise of security. She then kept her eyes on the back of her escort, gaining confidence that those following her would protect her in case any of the humans had ulterior motives. Just the same, she mentally prepared for her own defenses, just in case these turtles were not ninja. As she wondered about it, though, she sensed something about them that told her they were. Maybe it was the way they walked or Don's ability to not get flustered with her bantering earlier. Whatever it was, there was something she picked up from them that told her there was more to these three – and possibly the family as a whole – that said they knew ninjitsu. It was an interesting, if not unsettling, thought. If they were, then she would definitely have to be fully recovered if she were to manage any escape at all.

Once she was inside the vehicle and Thomas had them on their way, Rama paid keen attention to the passing scenery. She noticed certain landmarks along the highway as the car rolled along. She didn't know if she would ever need to remember them but Rama wanted to have as much of it as she could in her memory just in case. As the miles rolled by, Ramiela became more transfixed with the landscape. All the buildings and cities they passed through and the hundreds of cars and trucks along the highways they traveled intrigued her. The darkened windows made it easy for her to stare out of, confident that she was invisible to the humans on the other side. Just a little excitement started to seep into her consciousness as she thought about her present reality. To walk among humans, safe and unharmed, could only be a dream come true for her!

Unlike Rama's slowly rising excitement, Mike sat next to her, his stomach all in knots and his mouth going dry as the miles slowly ticked off towards his home. He paid little attention to what was going on outside the vehicle but instead tried to recall what had happened the year Ramiela would have been conceived.

Perhaps somehow he had in deed done something that he shouldn't have but just couldn't recall it for the moment. Yet how could he not remember such an act? His music business had been rather new at that time. In the beginning, there were always new clients to wine and dine, not to mention to promote. Those events always entailed a good deal of drinking as part of the role of being a successful producer. It came with the territory, though after a while his name became bigger than the need to promote it. Now, with any mention of his name on an album the work was almost a guaranteed hit! The partying had almost stopped completely anyway the day he became a father. There were times that he did carouse a little before Rahab divorced Raphael. He had to admit that those were rebellious years. Mike had loved Rahab, but she didn't love him back at the time. It was very frustrating for him and his roll in the family difficult while she was married to Raph.

However, once she divorced his brother and married him, Rahab gave Mike good reasons to never again 'do-the-town' the way he was used to. As he thought about the young mutant next to him, he and Rahab had been married only a few years when Ramiela had supposedly been born. He knew his drinking days were over by then.

So no matter how hard he tried to justify being 'out of it' and doing the deed unaware, Mike just couldn't remember anything happening like that. From the time they had said their I Do's', Mike had always been with Rahab, ever the faithful and committed husband.

He shook his head and heaved a heavy sigh. He was still not quite sure what to say or admit to when he saw Rahab. Yet he knew that he would have to come up with something because his wife was no fool. It was a given that she was bound to see the resemblance to him in Ramiela's face.

At one point, they headed north along the coast. Rama's face pressed even harder in to the window as she took in the wave as they crashed against the beach. She saw people out among the breakers standing on boards and riding the surf in. Ramiela smiled a little and thought to herself that it looked like a lot of fun.

"What are they doing?" she asked no one in particular.

Mike, jolted out of his preoccupation with his impending fate, answered flatly, "Surfing."

Don commented, "Mike owns a private cove just up the way, Ramiela. Maybe when your injuries have healed he can take you there and teach you to surf, too."

"Really? You would do that?" she asked as she turned towards him.

"Yeah," Mike replied dejectedly, "If I'm still living here, that is."

Rama didn't know why he was so depressed sounding, but she was too interested in what was going on outside to give it a second thought. Yet, despite her obvious enchantment with the beach area, the girl's resentment towards her antagonists remained deep-seated and fresh. Continuing to view the passing scenery, Ramiela went back to her self-imposed silence.

After a while and as the limo pulled onto the private road leading to the front gate of Mike's estate, Rama's sour attitude gave over to enraptured awe. The trees were gigantic; the biggest she had ever seen in her brief life. After slipping through the opening automated gates, the trees continued to thrill her. They thinned out a little as the forest gave way to open meadows to Rama's right. Mesmerized by their beauty with their floral variety and lushness, the girl had all she could do to keep from staring slack jawed.

Then, as they pulled up to the huge house, she nearly gasped. It looked gigantic, an equal counterpart to the huge trees that she had just seen earlier. Rama gulped, stunned to go from the lowly sewers of New York to a home of this grandeur size. It was nearly mind boggling to her.

"I think I've died and gone to heaven," Ramiela whispered weakly.

Don chuckled lightly, amused that for the time being she was dropping all signs of her previous hostilities towards them. Yet, in that moment as they pulled up in front of the house, Rama was showing herself to be a creature of intense curiosity and wonder; someone sheltered from the finer things in life and was now sadly aware of it. Don had to endear himself towards her because of this. The hard life she probably led had obviously prevented her from experiencing any real peace or tranquility. Maybe at Mike's place, Rama might begin to show a softer side to her self that even she would be surprised to discover. They could only hope and maybe this time hope might be realized.

Rama turned to face Mike "You really live here?" Her voice was full of disbelief as if Mike's home was something imagined and not real. How could anyone – especially mutants – afford such luxury as this? She turned back around to gap at the impressive structure.

"Yeah" Mike agreed and then muttered very low, almost to himself, "for the moment anyway."

Rama turned away from him to see an iguanid female stepping lightly out from the house to greet them. She appeared to be smiling. Ramiela noted that the creature's snout was longer, more like a lizard's, and her hair was blue and white like Gaele's was. It was quite a contrast against her green scale-laden skin. However, her hair was longer and tied back in a French braid. The same type tail adorned the mutant, as well, as did the impressive talons that trimmed each of her fingers. Rama then noticed that this mutant had one feature that Gaele didn't have. This mutant sported short spines on her neck! Ramiela thought her quite intriguing to be sure!

When the limo stopped just in front of the walkway, Mike slipped out of the car to greet her, filled with trepidation and unease. The mutant looked older than Gaele and leaner, maybe even a bit taller. It was easy to assume, then, that this was Gaele's mother and, more importantly, Mike's wife, Rahab.

Mike walked around the end of the limo and over to his wife, kissing and hugging her as he did. She seemed genuinely glad to see him, giving Rama the impression that they were a happy couple. However, Rahab's smile seemed to fad as she studied her husband. It was almost as if she had sensed something from him. Then, Mike - after giving Rahab yet another kiss - walked back over to the limo and opened the door for the newly arriving member of his family.

As Rama stepped out from the car, she saw Rahab's smile light up again in expectation. However, her smile seemed to falter once more ever so slightly as she took in the young mutant. She turned to look at Mike before returning her gaze back at Rama. Ever so slowly, a scowl started to appear on Rahab's face and then her tail began to twitch ever so slowly. As the reality of what she was assessing became more prominent, that tail twitched even more! Rahab pursed her lips and narrowed her gaze as she considered this new situation.

"Rahab this is Ramiela." Mike said sheepishly. Seeing the obvious fact that his wife was adding it up quickly, he remarked quietly, "I – ah - guess you – uh - can see the family resemblance?" Then, taking a deep breath, he turned towards the other, "Rama this is my _loving_ wife Rahab." He did his best to emphasize what he hoped was true. He was also glad that he had greeted his wife in the way that he had, as well. It might also become the last time he would get a kiss from her.

"Pleased to meet you." Rama said softly, wondering why Mike was acting so nervous and why Rahab's tail was twitching. When Gaele was visiting with her in New York, her tail never twitched like that.

Then it dawned on her. She had recognized Mike's features in Gaele. It was therefore obvious that her dad in her world and the Mike in this one would father children similar in appearance. It occurred to her, then, that it was possible these mutants might actually believe she was Mike's long-lost daughter, maybe from some illicit affair. Rama then recalled Don's earlier comment about Mike's family being her family and his obviously less than upbeat mood concerning it. If they suspected that he was her father, then Mike had good reason to be nervous around Rahab. More to the point, his wife would then have justified reason to be angry with him – assuming he had an affair at some point.

_"Serves him right!__ If they'd had left me in New York, he wouldn't now be facing trouble he doesn't deserve."_ Rama thought silently to herself.

As she saw the seething and foreboding look Rahab cast on her mate, Rama noticed Mike gulp, giving an almost chastised weak grin towards his wife. Rama suddenly felt torn because she knew that this Mike was innocent, he wasn't her real dad. She knew who her real dad was but she doubted that any one here would believe her. She still wasn't sure if she ought to tell them about her family and the similarities they shared. Even with this new and very volatile situation that she could sense brewing within Rahab, Rama kept thoughtfully silent.

Mike saw Rahab's tail slash and then slap the ground in sudden fury as the reality of what was walking towards the house sank in. With a dark smoldering look in her eyes that bore into his, Mike knew in that instant that as far as Rahab was concerned, he was as good as dead.

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_RAMICA'S RESPONSES:_

_PRETENDER FANATIC: Rama doesn't like or care for the fact they tricked her to get their way. She can handle a practical joke just fine but this is something else again. Through their deception they have made her life difficult and so she plans on doing the same to them._

_DANCINGFAE: While Rama is aware that Splinter is still alive in her world his death in this world is going be quite a shock, and a hard one at that, to her especially as she has never lost anyone she cares about that much. _

_LADY VENOM: Rama will get around to talking eventually. Whether the others believe it is something else again. Course they have two choices either Rama is telling the truth, which means so is Mike about his affair. Or Rama is lying and so is Mike. Even if they assume she is a little 'touched' they will still believe MIke had an affair and not accept Rama's words as truth._

_REINBEAUCHASER RESPONSES:_

_LADY VENOM2: Well, thanks! Yeah, Rama is gong to be tested in more ways than one with this new world. As far as opening up to someone, we'll have to see. As long as the ideas keep coming and we can put off writers block for as long as we can, Ramica and I can only do our best. I will add her response to your comments later as she is incommunicado for the moment! We wanted to get this current chapter up and running ASAP! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_DANCINGFAE: Ah, thanks so much; you encourage us to do even better! Yeah, she's Rama all right. All threat and plenty of bite if you push her too hard! Gabby may become a friend, or a foe – depends on may things. Yeah, we're going to work hard on when she finds out about Splinter. That may be a while down the road, though. She still has to tell someone about certain things! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_PRETENDER FANATIC: Yeah, Rama does a good threat, doesn't she? Ha! I wouldn't want to be in their shoes, not one bit. Additionally, we're going to try very hard to bring 100% Rama to their lives, too! LOL As the ideas flow, we will do our best to craft as good a story as we can. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._


	9. Hell Hath No Fury!

Disclaimer: Checks mailbox…nope, still haven't received the rights to make money off of this story – or any of the others, either.  Shoot.  Guess that can mean only one thing.  We don't own them, other than the obvious and – as time goes by – I think they own us as it is! 

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CHAPTER 9 – Hell Hath No Fury!

Rahab glared hard at Mike, the movement of her tail and the bristling of her neck spines an obvious clue to her displeasure.  She hissed quietly, assuring him with a voice that nearly froze his shell. "You and I, Mr. Angelo, have an appointment later on, you can be sure of it!"

Mike couldn't help but notice his wife clenching and unclenching her clawed fists and he wondered then how long it would take to bleed to death from her razor-sharp talons.  Exhausted from the trip and working himself up to an almost hysterical worry, the poor turtle wiped his sweaty brow with the flat side of his right hand.  With all the dangers that he had faced in his lifetime between the Foot in New York and the clan wars in Japan, facing his irate wife made those adventures pale in comparison.  

"Hey, Rahab, Hon, ah…I can explain, I …ah…well….I _think_ I can explain…Oh, my…" was all Mike could choke out before his throat constricted.  He heard a muffled snigger from behind, alerting him that Raph was having a field day watching the spectacle.  Mike whipped his head around towards his older brother and shot him a look that could kill.  Raph, feigning innocence, rolled his eyes and then looked down at his feet, playing dumb while he fiddled with something in his coat pocket.  He shuddered some as he fought back another round of amused snorts.

Rahab, giving one more searing glance at her husband, turned her attention back to the young mutant.  She saw Rama still hiding in the folds of her coat, but with her head up in subtle alarm.  The girl seemed to be slightly nervous with her wide eyes and an all too familiar expression like what Mike wore now.  It would have taken a blind man not to recognize the relationship between the two.  Rahab growled to herself, keeping her volume down so she wouldn't worry the new arrival.

Out of reflex to the brewing turbulence of emotions spilling over the courtyard, Rama hung back with Raph and Don.  They were standing a few feet behind, book ending her on each side, both of them alert for any problems the young mutant might cause them.  Considering the noticeable rise in Ramiela's trepidation with the escalating emotions that Rahab was giving off, it wouldn't have been too surprising for the girl to bolt. Judging from her stance, it was a good possibility, too.

However, Rahab finally gave a sighed and shook her head to regain some composure.  She really couldn't blame Ramiela for the circumstances of her birth.  How could she?  The girl was as much a victim in this as anyone – except for Mike, of course.  Rama's sudden appearance had caught them all off guard as it was.  The full blame was Mike's alone and he would answer to it very shortly if Rahab had anything to say about it.   Right now, though, it was more important to make the young girl feel welcomed, despite the current mood of certain family members!

Reining in her temper and irritation, at least for the time being, Rahab forced a smile and said, "Welcome Ramiela.  Please forgive my momentary lapse in manners.  I hope we can make you feel at home. Why don't you come in and we will get you settled."  Rahab motioned one hand towards the coated mutant, gesturing towards the house with the other.

Rama cast her eyes around as if taking everything in.  She noticed that Mike stepped back quickly the moment Rahab had gestured toward her.  Was he afraid of her, Ramiela thought?  Given the iguanid female's clawed hands it was possible that he had felt their bite on more than one occasion.  Rama considered it all quite amusing, especially what she suspected Mike and the other two turtles of being in the first place.  Ninja's out-classed by a set of claws.  Now that was one for the record books, Rama mused to herself.  

Nodding towards her, Rama replied, "Sure.  Thanks, Rahab" she mumbled as she made her way to pass Mike and then follow Rahab into the house.

As she neared him, she could see he looked very ill and even seemed paler in complexion.  However, the girl's natural sense of humor came to the forefront as she passed by him.  Humming a few bars of music to the funeral procession, she kept her voice very low but audible enough for Mike to hear.   Of course, Raph and Don, with their keen senses alert for trouble, didn't have any difficulty picking up on it as well.

"That, dear brother o'mine, is all the proof we need that Ramiela is your kid!  She has the famous Angelo sense of humor," Raph chimed in with an easy smile.

Rahab bristled hearing Raph's ill-chosen words.  Her sudden objection caused Rama to pause, quickly realizing that her little joke had not gone over very well with Gaele's mother.  Perhaps, for the time being, she would be wise in keeping a lower profile around the seething mutant.  Rahab probably didn't need Ramiela to be a constant reminder in her home of what she thought was Mike's indiscretion against her.  It fact it just might be better to make a friend of Rahab rather than an enemy.

_"Oh well_," Rama thought, "_it's too late to change matters now"._

A part of Rama desperately wanted to stick up for Mike while another part told her that it was best to keep the information to her self.  Until such time where she had better grasp of what was going on around her, that is.  Since this Mike Angelo wasn't really her father she didn't feel as if she owed him any thing. After all, he had been part of the conspiracy to get her on the plane and away from her home in the first place.  Although unintentional, getting Mike into trouble with Rahab had assisted Rama in her goal of making life as miserable as she could for her antagonists!

As she neared the threshold of the front door, though, Rama slowed down.  She looked back at the others by the car and then again at Rahab.  She started to feel a little uncomfortable.

Rahab turned to see the girl hesitate, "Is something wrong Ramiela?" Rahab asked.

Rama replied, "Um not really. It's just been kind of a long day and I'm really feeling out of my element for the moment." 

"Ah, well, maybe a little something to eat and then a nap might be what you need, then!" Rahab then gently guided the young girl into the house, glaring back once at Mike as if to tell him that he should take his time coming inside.

As she walked into the foyer, Rama looked down and saw her fingers moving almost of their own accord as if under the weight of a sai.  If she had them in her hands, she would be twirling and working them to dispel her nervousness.  She had picked up the habit from her Uncle Raphael.  It was just something she did whenever she was bored or anxious.   Presently, her fingers were going through the ritual on their own accord.  Yet, it wasn't the recent turmoil that made her nervous, but something else entirely.  The coat Don had loaned her was starting to feel heavy and cumbersome.  Rama had already noticed back in New York that Don, Raph and Mike all wore coats of their own.  Gaele had been fully dressed when she visited, as well, and – now - even Rahab was wearing clothing.  Currently, the iguanid female had on a pale yellow shift that came down just above her knees.  The main problem Rama saw in all of this was she didn't have any clothes of her own and she was sure Don would want the coat back.  Though she wasn't used to wearing disguises all the time, the idea of being the only one not wearing something made her feel a little odd.  Perhaps these mutants might take offense if she ran around naked.  Though, as a turtle she didn't really have a lot to show, unlike humans.  So Rama was feeling decidedly torn between ditching the coat and feeling more comfortable over keeping it on so as not to offend anyone.

"Rahab, I noticed that all of you wear clothing of some sort." Rama ventured quietly.

"It's more out of habit than anything, Ramiela. Humans feel a little more comfortable when they see us dressed.  Most of the family wears something, although the children and I dress far more then the guys do." Rahab explained, "The kids have gone to school with humans so they adapted to wearing a full armament of clothes compared to the simple coats that Mike and his brothers wear."

Rama nodded "Well I don't really have anything and normally I don't wear clothes at all except when I'm going out where people might see me. Then it's more as a disguise to blend in with my surroundings." Rama informed her "I was just wondering if I might offend anyone if I took the coat off."  Rama shrugged a bit at that, just a little unsure of her self for the moment.

"I doubt you will offend anyone, dear.  Still we ought to pick up a few things for you so when you go into town you'll fit in a bit better." Rahab suggested.

_"Go into town yeah; I'll need a disguise, then, all right." _Rama thought as she slipped out of the coat.

As the coat fell away from Ramiela, Rahab gasped in shock as she saw the numerous scars and the few stitches that riddled the teen's body.  No wonder Don had been so concerned for the girl.  She looked as battle scarred as he or his brothers were, maybe even more so! 

Rama immediately sensed Rahab's shock and surprise so she gave her a light understanding grin, "Looks awful huh? A bit like a Frankenstein monster all pieced and sewed together?" Rama admitted in her joking way.

However, for Rama the scars she bore were badges of honor and not something with which to be ashamed.  Earned in honorable battle protecting herself and some times others in her family, the marks were proof of her training as well as her skill in battle.  Yet at the same time, she realized how she must look to Rahab, whose scaled skin was nearly flawless.  All things considered, Mike's wife probably couldn't understand the concept of honorable fighting. Rama was sure that these mutants didn't have to fight for their lives to live where they did.   Yes, she did notice that Don and his brothers' had scars, but they were old, somewhat like what her own father and uncles' wore.  Still, it was more obvious that this world's human-society had readily accepted them as people with all the perks that came with such distinction.

Rahab took the coat from her and hung it up in the nearby coat closet, "It looks like you have been through a great deal, Ramiela." She offered softly in sympathy.

"The important thing is, I am still alive," Rama said proudly, smiling a little.

Rahab nodded quietly, overwhelmed by the girl's marred body but more so for her courage and maturity.  Perhaps Mike's easygoing nature had made it possible for the young girl to endure all that was put upon her. That thought caused Rahab to whip her tail involuntarily out in anger.  As she understood it, Ramiela's suffering could have been avoided if Mike and been just a little more forthcoming about his obvious affair!

Rahab took a deep breath to calm herself once again, "Before I take you up and show you to your room, are you hungry or thirsty?"

"Yes to both" Rama admitted quickly then she gave a little laugh "Course I'm a teenager, so I'm always hungry."

"Come into the kitchen, then, and I'll get you something to eat." Rahab entreated. 

Rama followed her as Mike's wife led her through the length of the foyer and then into the expansive kitchen.  As she stepped into the room, Ramiela nearly gasped.  Never in her life had she ever seen such an incredibly well appointed kitchen as the one she was looking at now. Even April O'Neal would have been impressed!  Rama knew that her father would have drooled to have such a place in which to prepare the clans' meals. She felt a sudden longing all over again to return home, so much so that she had missed Rahab's question.

"I'm sorry, what was it you just asked me?" Rama inquired, feeling herself a little embarrassed.

Rahab repeated her question, "So did you like the flight out to California?"

"Um … not really. I've never flown before and I think I could have lived quite well without adding that experience to my life" Rama confessed  "And I can't particularly say that I'm pleased with how they got me on the plane either."

"Why is that?" Rahab asked, her eye ridge furrowing in concern as she poured some milk into a glass for the girl.

"Well, they sort of drugged me!  I guess they were afraid I wouldn't be too cooperative."  Rama remarked casually.  She saw Rahab's slightly shocked expression, so she confessed, "They would have been correct on that point." She then shrugged, chuckling just a little to dispel Rahab's worried expression.

Rahab was beginning to notice that Rama had certain habitual expressions that mirrored Mike to a tee.  Her physical similarities to him was a given, but her non-committal shoulder shrugs were a blaring affirmation of the girl's heritage.  Fortunately, living with ninjas for nearly thirty years had taught the iguanid many things about remaining calm before the storm.  This innocent would never incur the wrath that Rahab would deliver later on to her husband!  She would protect Rama as best she could from any such rebuttal.

After the girl had a quick sandwich and the tall glass of milk to quench her thirst, Rahab led the girl to her room. When she opened the door to the guest wing and led her inside, Ramiela gaped at the size of the room.  She soon noticed all the furniture. Each piece was flawless and appeared brand new, something that Ramiela only saw in storefront windows while out on patrol.  Never had she seen so many nice things in one place before.

Despite her awe and mounting excitement, though, Rama was feeling tired and overwhelmed by the trip and all that had transpired along the way.  She knew that she had not yet fully recovered from the battle itself and that her body needed time to heal; more time than she wanted to take initially.  Most of all Rama longed for a moment alone to meditate and to clear her jumbled thoughts.   She might do better, then, in discerning what exactly was going on and why she was here in the first place. If she could figure that out, then the next step of finding her way home might come next!

Despite their duplicity, Rama did find some comfort in the similarities of these mutants to her own beloved family.  Yet another part of her found the discrepancies – namely, their manipulation and lack of armament - very disconcerting.  Maybe a short session meditating would bring her the answers, or at least the insight, that she needed to make sense of her situation.

"Thanks for everything Rahab but I am kind of tired and I really could use a short rest right now." Rama was doing her best to be polite, despite her growing irritation from being so tired.  Yes, her father did teach her manners among other things; after all, she was kunoichi.  Yet, except with Sensei and Master Splinter, she rarely ever used them while living in the lair.  In that moment, she was thankful for remembering what her father had taught her!

"I understand, Ramiela.  Long trips can be quite draining." Rahab agreed. "Why don't you go and get some rest then.  When you're ready you can come on downstairs and I'll introduce you to the rest of the family." she suggested before turning to leave.

"Rahab," Rama called after her, enticing the iguanid female to turn back around towards her.

Rahab paused, a questioning look on her face, "Yes, Ramiela?"

"Please don't be too hard on Mike. He loves you a great deal and I'm sure he didn't mean to hurt you in any way - in spite of the _way_ things look." Rama insisted. She knew how her own dad felt about Cathy. Her dad would never do anything to jeopardize the relationship between him and her step-mom; Rama could only hope that Mike Angelo shared these same traits with her dad.   "I think he is just as surprised about me being here as everyone else is" Rama confessed.

Startled by her words, Rahab hadn't been expecting Ramiela to say anything in defense of Mike. It was almost as if she wanted to protect him from any fallout over his actions.  Yet, why in the world the girl felt compelled to protect Mike the way she just did was beyond her.

"Don't you worry about it, Ramiela; Mike shouldn't have done what he did. It isn't your concern, but you are very thoughtful to consider it," Rahab hastened to assure her "Mike and I just need to have a little talk is all." Rahab then turned and left the room. 

Once the door closed, Rama sighed tiredly.  She didn't want Mike and Rahab breaking up over her. She knew how hard it was to find someone special who was willing to give up their own lifestyle to be with a family like hers.  To find herself the antagonist over the breakup of a marriage would be the most dishonorable thing she could do.

_"Great.  I show up in this world and ruin a very long and happy marriage. Won't Sensei be proud of me?" _Rama thought bitterly to herself. She gave a heavy dejected sigh.  She knew that until she could find the answers she needed, she wouldn't be able to provide any for the others. Ramiela could do little else for the moment. 

With her body nearly screaming for rest, Ramiela made her way over to the bed and climbed on top of it.  She smiled at how soft and comfortable it was.  However, she had things to do for the moment that were more important.  She put herself into a lotus position, determined to get a little bit of meditation in before taking her nap.  She silently thanked her sensei for forcing her through that twenty-four hour session months earlier.  From that exercise, Rama found that she didn't need as much sleep as she once did.  Meditating before going to bed allowed her the rest her body required but with fewer hours spent doing it.  She recuperated faster from exhaustion, too.  At the very least, meditating would calm her mind and her soul so that she could get the rest she needed in the first place!

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Rahab went back down stairs to the living room where Don, Mike, Raph and now Seth were all seated talking together in hushed tones. Seth had just come in from what used to be the guesthouse.  Now, it was his and Gabby's home.  He was currently asking questions and fishing for more information about the new mutant who was going to be a part of their family.

They all fell silent, though, as Rahab entered the room "Mike I want to see you alone - _now_**!**" she hissed as her tail lashed out in anger.

Raph started to laugh a little, chuckling out a "Nice knowing ya Mike" before his brother shot him a warning glare.

Turning back to face his wife, Mike gulped.  He had been dreading this confrontation with Rahab ever since New York, but another part of him was more then willing to get it over with, too.  He still didn't know what he was going to tell her as of yet.  However, he knew he could only tell her the truth – as far fetched as it would appear, all things considered.   Therefore, it wasn't without some reluctance and with a great deal of trepidation that he followed Rahab out of the room.

"Now, maybe we might get a straight answer out of him" he heard Don mutter in disgust…

"Either that or a quick burial!" Raph chortled!

Mike could only shake his head in despair as he followed Rahab through the foyer and up the curved staircase towards their secluded bedroom on the other side of the house.  It was then that he became appreciative for its location and deliberate construction.  Although his reasons were more amorous for its isolation and sequestered position from the other rooms, right now it would keep what was to come from prying ears – especially ears belonging to his brothers and Rama, as well!

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**_RAMICA_**_ - _

_Lady Venom: Stay tuned for how Rahab's going to take it and whether Rama will speak up to save Mike or not. To say Rahab is not amused is putting it lightly. Course Rama isn't too amused at the moment either._

_Dancingfae: Right now Rama might very well want to return home she just doesn't know how. As time goes on of course her feelings might change. _

_Pretender: Rama isn't in the mood to play nice when she has been deceived. As for sparring lessons and when they are coming who is to say._


	10. Conflicting Arguments

Disclaimer: Hmm…checks Hope Chest for ownership….finds none. What's a hope chest for, anyway, if you can't hope, right? Well, as stated previously, Ramica owns Ramiela and Reinbeauchaser owns Gabby. All others belong to either Eastman and Laird or Wendy A. Peabody!

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**CHAPTER 10 - Conflicting Arguments**

"Rahab, _sweetheart_, you don't understand…." Mike begged, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

"Understand? How can I NOT understand? You think I don't know what one of your kids LOOKS LIKE?" she yelled. "Ramiela's practically the SPITTING image of you!" Rahab seethed out.

The couple stood facing each other in their master bedroom while they argued over Ramiela' assumed parentage. They had been going at it for over two hours, yet, in spite Mike's best efforts, he just could not convince his wife of his innocence.

"No matter _how_ many times you ask me, the answer's _still_ going to be the same!" Mike grounded out. The more he had thought about it, racked his memory, and dug around his gray matter, Mike just could not accept that Ramiela was his.

"You were doing an awful lot of promoting nineteen years ago, Mike. You were gone quite a bit back then, too. It would have happened while we were living in Beverly Hills." His wife reasoned and then accused tartly, "Think about it, maybe at one of those parties you got yourself _drunk_!"

"No, I gave up drinking before you and I married. I would have _remembered_ something like that; especially about _fooling around_." Mike explained impatiently. "Rahab, I swear there isn't any way that Ramiela is my kid!"

"Well, MIKE…it seems the evidence sleeping in that guest wing says _otherwise_!" Rahab yelled with finality.

Mike lowered his head at his wife with a sudden spurt of anger, defiant and completely exasperated. His voice ripped at his next volley of words as he stared his antagonist down, "I - don't – care – what - Don's – labs - found, RAHAB, I DID NOT fool around! That's the TRUTH, _DAMN IT_!"

She glowered at her mate, seeing his rage and hurt, yet feeling those same emotions herself. How could Don's labs make such a grievous mistake and yet just looking at the girl told her that the lab results were correct. Ramiela's facial features were obviously a mix between human and turtle influences, but the reptilian aspect of her DNA practically screamed out 'Mike'!

"_My dear_," Rahab cooed sarcastically, her eyes narrowing, "how can you just stand there and act so innocent? How can you deny Ramiela as being yours? HOW?" She took a step towards him, causing him to back up just a bit, "You fooled around, admit it! Just ADMIT it!" Rahab begged, turning away from him and walking over towards their fireplace in exasperation. She whirled around and faced him once more, huffing in anger with her arms folded across her chest in front of her. She wanted her husband to confess his indiscretion and yet, a large part of her wanted to believe him, too. It wasn't like Mike to deny the obvious. That was the oddest thing to her about this whole situation.

"I won't admit to a lie, Rahab! It goes against everything I believe in and you know it! Yet it seems to me that you're playing this very one-sided, don't you think?" Mike exclaimed as his eye ridges raised.

"What do you mean?" Rahab asked reluctantly. She knew that Mike was well versed in distracting the topic away from the intended target, his ninjitsu training affording him that ability.

"Hmm…seems it was only twenty-five years ago that you and Leo…." He smirked defensively, but then Rahab cut him off, pointing at him sharply.

"DO NOT GO THERE, MIKE! You know as well as I do that Leo's tea made me loopy; in my mental state, I couldn't tell Raph from a rock! So, don't go trying to compare Seth with Ramiela! It won't work." Rahab was livid and it showed as she clenched her fists. She started to tear up right about then, too. Rahab was hurt that Mike would even up bring such a topic. Yes, she had Seth by Leo while she was still married to Raph, but it wasn't deliberate on her part and in fact, she believed it had been her husband at the time and not her brother-in-law! It was not until Seth was born that Leo confessed to his indiscretion. Unfortunately, her marriage to Raphael eventually suffered as a result, their divorce happening two years later. It was soon after that when she fell in love with Mike and married him, bringing one more child into the family - Riahna.

"So, Mike, _my dear_, let's get back to the subject at hand, shall we? Who was it that did the deed with you?" the iguanid seethed out between bared teeth.

"I swear to you, Rahab, since we've been married, I haven't once messed around behind your back, not once! Why should I? I don't have any reasons or excuses to do that. _None_!" he insisted. "What ever '_needs'_ I have, you have always been there and the only one I would go to, anyway. That's the _truth_, regardless of how lame it looks with Ramiela!" Mike's own emotions were nearing critical as well, his voice tired and hoarse from yelling

"Well, one thing _is_ for certain, **_Mike_**!" Rahab snapped out, pausing and waiting for her husband to take the bait.

Rolling his eyes and shaking his head, Mike asked just a bit too sarcastically, "What's that, _Rahab_, _dear_?"

"Whatever '_needs'_ you have will be best taken care of in the **_shower_** – preferably a _cold_ one!" his wife spat, turning on her heels and leaving the bedroom in a huff. Before she was out of earshot, however, she remarked loudly, "Oh and feel free to use the den tonight and the next several nights until you can admit to your little '_romp in the hay'_!"

Mike fell back hard onto his bed, letting out a long deep sigh and a string of unsavory words best left to the imagination.

Rama awoke to voices in the hallway outside the bedroom where she was resting. She thought she heard Rahab, but between the comfort of the bed and the piles of blankets on top of her, she found it difficult to arouse her muddled brain. Finally, she stretched to rid her body of its sleepiness and then yawned big as the last remnants of slumber escaped her. She then thought back to when she first arrived at Mike's house. Ramiela remembered the accusing glare that Rahab had given him, the smoldering look that, if it were possible, would have kicked him all the way down to Los Angeles. Rama smiled to herself at the memory. However, she suddenly felt guilty for doing so. Although she was still livid with the whole lot of them concerning the way they lied and manipulated her, Mike was innocent of only one crime. He was not her father. Just the same, for now Ramiela would have keep silent on that little fact. Despite Rahab's ire at her husband, Mike would have to suffer for just a little while longer until the girl could figure out what to do.

Once she was sufficiently awake, Ramiela pushed up onto her elbows and visually took in the room. The yellow print wallpaper seemed to match the comforter that was snuggled around her. It was not necessarily her 'cup of tea', but she had to admit that it was cozy just the same. Rama then noticed a tall armoire. It stood across from where she lay and then a dresser with a mirror sat along the opposite wall from the bed. Other than the bedroom door, two additional doors piqued her curiosity. She had been so tired when she had first arrived that she failed to notice them, having only enough energy to flop on to the bed and then falling asleep almost immediately.

"Hmm…wonder where they lead to?" she asked herself.

The voices she had heard moments before seemed to have gone away, so she ignored them for the moment. Pushing the covers off her, Ramiela stood up from the bed and made her way to the door closest to the armoire. When she opened it, she noticed right away that it was a storage room or closet. A few miscellaneous items of clothing hung on hangers and there seemed to be a large trunk tucked in the back under some freestanding shelves. Nothing of interest caught her attention, though, so she decided to check on the other door.

Ramiela smiled big when she discovered the other door led to an impressively large and detailed bathroom. There was a long counter with double sinks, a toilet, and then a bathtub and shower combination. "Just what the doctor ordered!" she exclaimed gleefully. "But, maybe I may have to wait on the shower, though."

Rama smiled to her self. In a family as large as hers, it was almost impossible to find a free bathroom. Many times, they would run out of hot water, forcing everyone else to take cold showers. She knew that when they had first moved into their last home, her Uncle Donatello had put in quite a few bathrooms. He anticipated the possibility that the clan would enlarge with subsequent children, but he had not realized then just how large their family ended up becoming. As it was, he could have made a couple more bathrooms and added as many hot water heaters to compensate. Still, Rama was always grateful they ended up with as many as they had.

Yet, having a private bathroom like the one she was staring at now was enough to make Rama feel incredibly lucky. No waiting and no having to hit the shower before anyone else did. Now, to her, this was a luxury that she could relate to and enjoy!

She noticed the towels on the towel rack and walked over to touch them. They were just as soft and luxurious feeling as the bed was, unlike the thin second hand towels back home. She took one up and rubbed it along her face, closing her eyes in pleasure from the densely soft material. Oh, to have a dozen or so to take back home with her; that would be the nicest gift of all to give to her family!

After she refreshed herself a little, Rama stood in front of the mirror and assessed her physical condition. She turned around a little to view all of her injuries. She saw that the gashes in her leg and one arm seemed to be healing, but it would still be a while before she could have the stitches removed. That alone disqualified her from taking a much-desired shower. Ramiela's other cuts were also healing and had scabbed over nicely. The purplish abrasions were somewhat numerous and it was then that she recalled Rahab's recoiling expression from earlier when she first removed her coat.

Rama had always seen her battle scars as something to be proud of, something that gave credibility to her role as kunoichi of the clan and future jonin. Not a single person in her family ever reacted the way Rahab had. Yet, now, Rama looked at herself with a new awareness. Thinking about Gaele looked, and now Rahab, Ramiela was starting to see her own self differently. Though she never cared for those 'bubble-headed' girls on television, who worried constantly about their looks, just being in the company of her own kind who were free of any marring made her feel quite insecure. Rama had noticed Don and the other turtle's scars, but they looked old and weathered compared to the freshness of her own.

A horrible thought then occurred to her. "What…if they think I'm – ugly?" The last thing she wanted was to concern herself about that; it went against everything that she had been raised to believe. One's honor and integrity, as well as the way a person treated others, was a beauty beyond the physical manifestation of the flesh. A kunoichi did not worry about such things but trained to be strong physically as well as mentally.

_"True beauty comes from inside. Do not forget what Splinter used to say – 'A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a person perfected without trials'."_ she told herself and smiled a little, comforted in that knowledge.

With a sudden burst of determination, Ramiela shoved the errant thoughts from her mind. Pursing her lips determinedly, she stared hard at her reflection as she mused defiantly, _"They'll have to accept me for who I am, that's all there is to it!_ _If they can't, then maybe they aren't worth the trouble to worry about."_

As she was coming out of the bathroom, she startled. Don was standing in her room.

"Don't you have any manners? It's common knowledge to knock before entering a person's room, ya know!" Rama curdled out sarcastically.

"I did but you didn't answer." He replied easily, a shadow of a smile on his face.

"Then you should have just gone away." Ramiela was not at all pleased with his intrusion, "Or, at the very least, waited outside until I came out, before barging in uninvited." She informed him in a sharp miffed tone.

"Hmm… Anyway, I thought you would like to come downstairs for dinner. It's up to you, though. Maybe you're not hungry." With that, Don slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

As she thought about it, food did sound good to her. Although the sandwich she had earlier had helped to ease her hunger, its emptiness was not completely placated. Rama felt a low rumbling in her stomach and a renewed interest in heading downstairs.

She slowly eased out of her room and made for the stairs. Along the way, Rama felt her anger and disdain for being here against her will rise up again. For a short while, the opulence of Mike's house had impressed her, allowing Rama to forget how she came to be in his home in the first place. Now, after her little 'pep talk', she was getting back to the 'task at hand', which was to be a big pain in the behind!

Yet, as she took in the foyer while heading down the steps, the awe she experienced earlier when she first arrived crept into the folds of her emotions once again. There was no doubt about it, whatever circumstances had made it possible for Don and his brothers to live like this, Ramiela had to admit that the end results were very nice. She could not deny that it was a gigantic improvement on sewer life. What kind of business did Don do, and what about Mike? Remembering when she was seven how her own mother, Shay, had tried to kidnap her to Las Vegas to make money on her uniqueness, maybe one or more of them had done just that? Rama was quite aware of how easily amused humans were by such trivial distractions. She had seen too many 'freak' shows when the small circuses came to town. Hidden under their disguises, her family would take in these shows occasionally, if only to reinforce what could happen to her or any of them if discovered by those who displayed such oddities. Although she highly doubted the people on stage or inside mock cages were there by force, Rama knew all too well that she would have to be! It served its purpose well and for that, she was grateful.

Now, as she stepped off the last stair step, she hesitated. Don never said exactly where dinner was going to be. She had only been in the kitchen with the attached family room and the foyer with the living area off to one side at the front of the house. Aside from her bedroom, those four were the only rooms of which she was aware.

Just as she was about to call out and ask where everyone was, a lone figure walked softly into the foyer and took note of her. "Hey, there, I guess you're Ramiela, huh?" it asked.

Rama startled back in surprise. He had come upon her very quietly, almost ninja quiet in fact. "Yes, I – ah…" and then, suddenly, she couldn't say anything more. The one who stood before her had completely mesmerized her in one single instant.

He stood just a little taller than she did, yet his shoulders were much broader and thicker in muscle mass that hers were. She noted the rest of his reptilian physique was muscled well, too - and taut, as if he worked out on a regular basis. His countenance expressed confidence with serenity that appeared quite familiar to her, yet, she just could not place it for the moment. His easy smile was engaging and drew her into him easily.

Yet, the one attribute that was most intriguing to her, though, was his coloring. It was pale green in depth, more so than the others were, with a slightly yellow cast to its hue. His eyes were clear and almost colorless, yet hypnotic and piercing as he looked upon her. In a single instant, Ramiela felt her heart leap and her stomach quiver. She swallowed just a little, allowing an involuntary smile to crease her face.

Finding her voice again, she continued, "Ramiela, my name's Ramiela …." Then almost before she could catch herself, she invited, almost shyly, "But…you can call me Rama!"

"Rama, huh? I guess I rate right up there with Mike, then, eh?" he said with a wide and engaging grin.

She scowled just a little, remembering Mike's duplicity. She corrected him, "For the moment, maybe even a little higher!" Then she quickly bit back the next volley of descriptive words that she was thinking regarding her pseudo father figure. This incredibly handsome creature standing before her, now, would only deserve her very best behavior, if she had anything to say about it.

"Um…and you are?" she asked coyly. She was appreciating even more his unassuming confidence that she sensed from him. The way his muscles moved under his supple skin, as he brought his right hand out to take hers in a gesture of welcome, made her breath hitch just a little. She felt a bit of a flutter in her own heart and ducked her head as she felt herself begin to blush a little. Maybe coming here was not so bad after all, Rama thought to herself. However, she was not quite willing to give up her grudge against the other three turtles just yet. They still had to learn that she would not accept such treatment from them under any conditions.

"Seth Angelo, at your pleasure." He replied, his smile widening even more.

_"My pleasure, indeed!" _Rama thought coyly. Taking his hand and then feeling its strength, for a moment Ramiela drew back her emotions in sudden alarm.

Seth.

_"Gaele mentioned him once; Don did, too. However, there were so many things to consider at the time, such as where and who I was." _Rama thought to herself.

There was something special about Seth and yet Rama could not place it for the moment. His eyes captivated her as he gently but firmly turned her around towards the rear of the house. He gently placed the flat of his right hand along the back of her carapace as he guided her under the staircase landing and towards where the others were waiting.

"We're eating in the dining room tonight in your honor, Rama." He said evenly. "I hope you like what's prepared. Mike's a great cook and he's gone all out just for you!"

Rama allowed Seth to lead her across the foyer and towards a wide opened doorway opposite from where the kitchen was. She took in the smells that wafted tantalizingly towards her, becoming stronger as Seth led her closer to the room. Within seconds, she found everyone in the expansive dining area.

The room faced the rear of the property with huge monstrous windows exposing the backyard in the dimming twilight of the day. Huge trees of comparatively large proportions stood like sentries along the rear border of the years, yet, Rama ignored the view for the moment as she spied the only vacant seat. Conveniently situated between Don and Raph, it invited her to join them.

She scowled at the realization that she was being book-ended once again. Before she could utter some scathing and sarcastic comment, though, Seth graciously pulled the chair out for her, allowing Rama to slip in and sit down. Reluctantly complying and taking her offered seat, Rama tried her best not to huff. She then let this 'vision of a god' push her towards the table. Once she was settled, she waited and watched with hungry eyes as her escort walked around to the opposite side from where she sat to take his own seat.

However, the two that sat on each side of her rekindled her acerbic tongue. Ramiela teased out as she looked left and right at them, "Guess I'm still a prisoner, eh? I need sentries even at the dinner table? What are ya afraid of, that I'll just up and disappear?"

Don rolled his eyes, shaking his head, "Let's just this attitude of yours rest for a moment, Ramiela. At least while we have dinner!"

"Or what?" she sassed back. She smirked to herself as she surveyed those sitting around the table. She could see that Rahab was slightly amused by her antics, yet there was still the tell-tale expression of discord in the iguanid woman's face. Mike sighed in resignation and nudged at his silverware, obviously trying not to attract too much attention. Rama then noted that Seth was watching her, as well, but with a sober expression as if he were studying her.

Slightly chagrined by her own words, Rama bit back the next selection she had prepared for her antagonists as Don replied to her challenge.

He responded evenly, a slight smile to his face, "Well, you can go back up to your _room_ and skip dinner all together, if you want!"

Considering how hungry she was feeling, Rama prudently decided that, for now, she would put aside her rants. Thinking to herself, _"Let Don think that he's won this round for now. I can work on him later anyway!" _Rama took up her napkin and placed it deftly across her lap. Then, she took in the remaining members of the clan, noting their placement around the table

Mike sat at one end while his wife sat at the other. Both of them seemed greatly subdued as they avoided looking at one another. _"Yep, had a fight, that's for certain!"_ the young mutant mused lightly. Although Rama did not have any animosity towards Rahab, she had to maintain her displeasure for the female's mate. The Mike of this world was going to find out the hard way exactly how miserable his life could get! Moreover, Rahab would not have to flick even a claw to do it, either. Not if Ramiela had her way, that is!

Rama smiled inwardly. She was well versed in warfare and the tactics behind it. She also had a wide variety of practical jokes in her repertoire that she could bring into play if necessary. Silently she recalled about how she had tried to drive Cathy off with her practical jokes. It had almost worked too, until her dad and sensei had reminded her of the clan rules regarding guests. They pointed out how she had disregarded the guest rule and how she had greatly dishonored them by her actions. She knew, with absolute certainty, that she could make people very uncomfortable with her little jokes. In fact, the entire clan dreaded April Fools Day because that was the one day they permitted Rama to cause total terror. She even had clan approval to do so. Sensei never had a clue what torture he was getting the family into when he allowed that years ago. Rama was certain that if he had, Leo would have never sanctioned it!

Scanning the table some more, she noticed that, next to Seth, there were three other individuals. To his left was a female mutant, who was maybe a little older than Rama and who had the same blue and white hair as Rahab and Seth. To Seth's right was a younger mutant, maybe all of three years of age, who sat in a high chair and, by her clothing, Rama determined her to be female. On the child's right was another adult mutant, a female as well.

Before Rama could assess the last member of the family, the child squealed out to her as she waved excitedly, "Hi, hi!" with a grin that nearly swallowed her own face. The toddler's eyes sparkled with eager excitement and it was obvious to Rama that the girl was welcoming her to the table. Rama gave at tiny wave in reply, but remained silent. She noticed that the child seemed disappointed, but was quickly distracted as the female to the girl's right placed a bread roll on her tray. The toddler grabbed the roll up and began hungrily devouring the article of food

As Rama watched the little girl and listened to her chatter through her snack, she decided that the child was close in age to her brother, Tyler, maybe even a little older. Rama sighed softly, realizing suddenly how much she missed her annoying brother. Yes, he did enjoy bugging her, that was something she couldn't deny. Yet, as she reflected upon him, it made her miss him even more.

Rama went back to watching the child across from her. She saw that the girl wore a full head of auburn hair, almost copper in color and wildly curly . Her facial features seemed just a little more human than Seth's and more so than even her own. The girl's coloring was paler, as well, and as Rama thought about it, seemed more human in hue than reptilian. Yet, as the kunoichi looked over to the female on the toddler's right, she saw where the child had inherited her hair coloring and some of her facial features.

The one to the child's right was the most intriguing mutant Rama had ever seen. Sensei's daughter, Kaliann, with her golden locks, was exquisitely beautiful and had inherited her mother's delicate features. Between the one at the table and Rama's cousin, the two of them had the same even mix of reptilian and human features - the high cheekbones, the narrow almost feminine face, the slight body type. Yet, where Kaliann had blonde tresses, this one at the table had the same curly auburn hair as the child. The only difference was, her hair was longer in length, with the curls aiding its complete disorder. If it weren't for the clips the female had used, her hair would have been wild and unruly.

She smiled at Rama and then introduced herself, "Hello, Ramiela, my name is Gabriella, but you can call me Gabby, if you choose."

Rama noted the sweet sounding soprano voice as Gabby breathed out her introduction. She smiled back in reflex, trying to piece together what she had learned about her back in New York. Gaele had mentioned a Gabby to her and that this Gabby was supposed to be someone whom Rama would like. Gabby was also credited with managing Gaele's brother quite well. Rama sat there for a second and thought about what else Gaele had told her. There was another piece to this puzzle that she was missing, and then, suddenly, it thrust itself ungraciously onto her. Remembering what Gaele had told her, that Gabby was supposedly married to Gaele's brother, Rama suddenly realized in horror who that brother was.

By his proximity with the other two and the way that he had looked at her when she couldn't take her eyes off of him, how amused he seemed to be with her, she knew beyond all doubt, now, that Gabby's husband was Seth.

Right then, Rama wanted to die.

Instead, her heart crashed and as she recalled when her first met her in the foyer, how she stood there speechless, and all weak in the knees, she blushed several shades of red. This 'vision of a god' was Gabby's husband, Leo's son, and someone that was definitely off limits to Rama.

That sudden realization only made Rama's mood more surly and reticent.

_"Okay coming out here was most definitely a **bad** idea," s_he thought irritably to herself as she recalled her first steamy thoughts when she had first seen Seth.

Growling under her breath, she moaned silently to herself, _"Great, the one guy who has all the right goods and, not only do I make a fool of myself in front of him, but he's already taken. Could my life get any worse than this? I think not!" _

_DANCEINGFAE – Yes indeed, Rahab DOES have a temper. If you're familiar with Wendy Peabody's rendition of her in 'RAHAB', then you're well informed! I mean, Lady Lizard was able to get at Leo with her claws in that fic! I just about busted a gut reading that part, too! Anyway, Rahab isn't necessarily warming up to Mike, but she does have enough honor and integrity that, not matter how mad she is or for what reason, letting someone get into trouble when it's not even their fault goes against everything she believes in! Ah, but the couch may be where he ends up at least for the first night…depending on how long Ramica and I make him suffer! LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_LADY VENOM2 – Ah, Rama doesn't think of Mike at all, but it's her ninja honor and integrity that came to his defense. Other than that, she's quite pleased Rahab's giving him what for! LOL Well, upon reading this chapter, I'm sure you know how Mike faired with his wife! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

_PRETENDER FANATIC – Thanks for the heads-up on what Rama should call Splinter. I've made the changes per Ramica's suggestion. I didn't know about that, so I really appreciate your eagle eye on it:0) Ah, yes, Rama and her jokes and tricks and….hopefully we will be able to let Ramiela be herself while 'trapped' in Gabby's world! Yeah, we had to get Raph in on the egging, too! Well, thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed!_


	11. Where's a Hole When You Need One?

Disclaimer – again?  Sheesh, at least give us credit for being intelligent.  We get it already, okay?  We DO NOT own the TMNT's.  There, are you happy?  If not, well…. go pound sand!  :0)  Kidding…really, we are…wait, don't go get yer lawyers…we're kidding; can't you take a joke?  Good grief…just read the story, will ya?

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**Chapter 11 – Where's a Hole When You Need One?**

Rama had to agree that dinner was good. At least her father and this Mike Angelo had a common talent for cooking. She found it quite interesting and wondered how many other similarities they shared. Certainly, it wasn't their sense of humor. Mike was the most sobering individual she had ever met, but, then again, maybe his particular situation with Rahab didn't lend itself to much joviality. She kind of felt sorry for him just the same.

_"The guy needs to lighten up and just 'go with the flow.' What a dill pickle he is!"_she muttered to herself at one point during the meal.

She had learned during dinner that there was a secondary house on the property. It used to be a small cottage where Don or other guests would stay.  However, since Gabby and Seth married three years prior, Don's gift to them was a total remodel and enlargement of the smaller home.  It allowed them to stay on Mike's property and take advantage of the security his compound afforded.  The humble residence now boasted three times the square footage of the original, complete with a second story level. With the new baby soon to arrive in only a couple of months, the added space was a welcomed relief.

It was during the meal that Rama had expressed an interest to go outside and get a bit of fresh air.  The allure and easy access to the backyard was almost too much for her to resist.  With the expansive windows in the room, she had a hard time, as it was, focusing on the conversations around the dinner table. Her eyes were impulsive drawn to the yard beyond.  With its subtle illumination with the various lamps and ground lighting, she caught the faint shimmer of water, which piqued her curiosity.  Considering she had lived her entire life down in the sewers, just to step outside without the need for covering up seemed like a luxury to her.  Back in her world, she only ventured outside while on patrol, scavenging, or when she was ticked-off at her dad for 'riding' her shell.   Then, she would seek only the rooftops at night just to get out of the lair to cool off.  The fact that Mike's place afforded much more than that was making her antsy just to experience it.

Of course, Rama did spend some time in the great outdoors; it wasn't as if she had never enjoyed such a venture.  April's farm in upper New York afforded the family a trip out to the country just to get away from the city.  Once every summer the clan would take turns and go up there in Casey's old dilapidated van.   The bucket of bolts was so rusty that Rama's Uncle Donatello had to fix it up for each trip before it was road worthy.  They always made sure that there were plenty of blankets, though.  They had to hide in the back until they were well out of the city and away from prying eyes.  However, once they were on the farm, with its one hundred acres surrounding the old house, they were virtually safe from the general population.  The trip was something that everyone looked forward to.  Yet, with the size of their family, it was just impossible to take everyone at the same time. Therefore, it became necessary to take turns.

Don, just a little on edge with Ramiela's attitude and remembering what Gabby had done three year prior, reminded her, "Don't get any ideas of taking off, Ramiela!  You'll be watched, just keep that in mind."

"Yeah like where would I go? It's not like I can sprout wings and fly back to New York!" she complained.

"Just the same, there's been a history of cougars in the forest. It would be wise if you behaved yourself and stayed on the property – preferably close to the house!" Don had advised.

"Sure thing, _Master!_" Rama grated out, "Want me to bow down and kiss your feet too?"  She relished in the exasperated expression he gave her as a result to her words. "Maybe you want to put leg chains on me, just to make sure I can't get away?"  Yes, she was certainly not going miss opportunities to irritate him if she had anything to say about it. So far, she was having a good run of luck. Besides, irritating him was almost as much fun as annoying Uncle Donatello during her school days.

::::::::::::::::::

Now, Rama was currently sitting around the fire-pit outside, situated halfway between the patio and the secondary home where Seth and Gabby lived.  It was already dark when she first came out, but there was enough artificial lighting to find her way around the patio.  The fire-pit was closer to the house than other parts of the yard, so it felt reasonably safe to her. With Don's comment about cougars, Rama decided it was prudent to stay nearer to the main structure and away from any deep shadows.

Earlier, when she had first stepped outside, Ramiela had been immediately impressed by the pool. Though she had many excursions to Central Park and its Turtle Pond, the water there was anything but clean. However, Mike's pool was the clearest body of water she had ever seen! If it weren't for her stitches, Ramiela wouldn't have hesitated to taking a dip. She knew it would be the first thing she would do once her injuries healed up, though.

She smiled at the waterfall that splashed at the opposite side from where she stood at the pool's edge.  Where it flowed from the northern end, it mesmerized her with its gurgling sounds of cascading water.  It ran in rivulets down the face of the rock, pouring into the pool and creating an ambiance of serenity that, for the moment, calmed Rama's irritation. It was all so very beautiful to her.

_"I can't remember when I've ever felt this much at peace!" _She admitted after a while to herself. _"Maybe being here won't be so bad."_

Rama languished in her reverie for just a moment, but then stubbornly dismissed it quickly _"Doesn't matter what this Mike has. They **forced** me here; didn't even consult me like I have any say in my life!"_

Rama had that happen to her once before when others had made decisions for her.  They told her what she could do and when - and she loathed it. "_Don tricked me and drugged me; treating me in the way you might expect an enemy to be treated. No matter what they offer, I **won't** be bought!" _She stiffened slightly and then almost audibly spat out the next words, "_I'm kunoichi and by that definition they have **earned** my **displeasure**!"_

Yet between the luxuries offered her and her stubborn resolve to be difficult, Rama seemed to be between a rock and a hard place. She knew she could be very stubborn with some points; she had a long history of doing that. Yet, at the same time, she was not normally one to bear a grudge or maintain her anger.  Her own dad had given her too much of his easy-going nature for that to happen.  Still, she couldn't help but to appreciate everything afforded her since arriving.  It was almost as if her dreams had finally come true, but with a catch!  It was that 'catch' which disturbed her most and what kept her from fully accepting this family's hospitality.

With that, she knew the turtles' duplicity had to come with a price. She determined years ago that no one would ever again make decisions regarding her life without her permission. She felt very much as if they had lied to her and Rama never did care for liars.  

"Oh, how I wish I could talk with Master Splinter!" she mused sadly.  Addled as his mind had become, he could still offer insight. He would have some words of wisdom for her. Since her father and Uncles had twins in this realm, maybe a duplicate Master Splinter lived here, too. Where would he be and how could she ask without tipping her hand?  If she outright inquired, then that would certainly cause her 'captors' to interrogate her more forcibly. 

_"Rama you're going have to dig deep to find out; maybe ask about Seth's grandparents! Yeah that might be a way!"_ The girl thought excitedly. _"Everyone has grandparents, so it would be a natural question to ask, wouldn't it?"_ Ramiela wondered if they would sense her duplicity. _"Well there has to be some situation that will present itself where I can ask such a question in honesty!" _She reasoned.

It was then that she wandered around the yard a little.  She took note of the soft illumination from the ground lighting and occasional patio lamps that littered the area here and there.  All of it gave the yard an ethereal quality. Rama felt the tranquility and wondered just how long she would be able to hold out from really enjoying it.  If her family were here, it would have been a done deal.  Then again, considering the others that live here, it would have been all too weird, as well.

It just seemed so unfair that she was experiencing this wonder while all whom she loved were stuck down in the sewers of New York. For a moment, she allowed some melancholy to seep into her mood as she wistfully thought about how much she missed her family. She hadn't even been able to reach them earlier while she meditated. Perhaps she was still too weak from the battle to bridge the distance.  Master Splinter had trained Ramiela well in the art of meditation.  Not too many years ago, he had told her that with her training, she would eventually be able to connect psychically with her family.   Rama knew that she had already reached that level in her ninjitsu, so it was quite frustrating for her to be unsuccessful in mentally reaching out to her clan members now. 

Without so much as a warning, an errant tear made its way down her cheek.  However, she quickly flicked it away before others had a chance to follow. There wouldn't be a chance she would let her emotions betray her while she was staying here. For Rama, her one goal was to get well and at the same time make life so miserable for Don that he would beg to take her back to New York!

Raph had been watching her, keeping his senses alert for any sudden desperation that she might give off.  He wasn't trying to read her mind as it wasn't something he preferred doing.  Yet, as his senses were keen upon her, he felt her momentary arrogance give way to the melancholy she was currently feeling.  It piqued his curiosity about her even more.  There was something about Rama that was not consistent with her combative behavior.  It was something that said she was angry more than anything else.  Then her sudden change from that to sadness told him she was suffering terribly.  Still, he chaffed at how she had shown not an ounce of appreciation for the care and the affluence now offered to her.  Rama's caustic and stinging comments to Don irked Raph greatly.

::::::::::::

Now, as she sat around the fire-pit, Rama was currently rehashing the events prior to dinnertime when she had first met Seth. She felt her face flush hot with embarrassment as she reflected, feeling slightly bemused and frustrated as a result.

_"I should have remembered he was married to Gabby. Gaele did tell me that. How could I have missed it?"_ Ramiela chastised herself. _"I must have looked completely ridiculous, all doe-eyed and shy, flirting with him…and there he was, smiling at me - no he was probably laughing at me. I'm nothing but a kid to him any way."_ Yet she knew in her heart that Seth had impressed her and that, for a brief moment in the foyer, she had thought her deepest longings had come true.

That is until she saw Gabby in the dining room.

"Where's a hole when you need one!" Rama fumed aloud.

Yet, no matter how hard she tried to dispel her thoughts of romance, she just couldn't let it go.  It seemed to taunt her and mock what she was; a mutant turtle girl covered with scars. It all seemed so unfair to Rama and she had to wonder why life continued to laugh at her.

_"The guy of my dreams, the one I wouldn't have any trouble getting passed Sensei or dad and not only is he not part of my world but he's married with a kid and one on the way, as well!"_ Rama kicked at one of the partially burned logs in front of her. It dislodged and clunked to the concrete floor of the pit, spilling pieces of charcoaled wood around it. _"I'm destined to die a virgin I just know it…"_ She suddenly stopped her personal rant. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the youngest Angelo making her way towards her from the house.

"Great, just great! What does she want?" Rama grouched under her breath. She just wanted to be alone to stew in her own self-pity.  Having to play 'nice' with Mike's daughter just wouldn't fit with her mood right now.  She looked around her to see if there was any escape, but then noticed that Raph was watching her from one of the windows inside the house. _"Blast it, I'm trapped!"_ she seethed silently.  Resigned to her fate, she waited, hoping against hope that she was not the target of the approaching girl. 

Riahna was her name. Mike had introduced her to Rama partway through dinner. She sported the same tail and blue hair; neatly French-braided like her mom's but she seemed more, in appearance, like Rahab in stature than Gaele was. When Riahna kept asking questions about Rama's 'decorations', at first Ramiela didn't have a clue what Mike's daughter was talking about. It seemed those at the table were reluctant to tell her, too. Finally it was Raphael who leaned in and, with a low voice, told Rama that Riahna was fascinated with scars.

"She wouldn't leave me alone for the longest time. She was fascinated with my face." He chuckled. It was then after dinner when Raph further informed Rama that Riahna was also autistic. Considering she looked almost as old as Seth did, her autism explained her seemingly child-like and reticent nature.

Although Ramiela understood about Riahna's handicap, she still didn't find anything funny at all about her preoccupation with her scars. They might be a thing of honor where she was from, but she didn't want to call attention to them here where she was.  Rama was becoming increasingly self-conscious about it.  With Riahna's fascination, it didn't do a great deal of good to endear Rama to the girl. Maybe if there were something else for the autistic mutant to focus on, Rama might escape any further inquiries about her scars.  However, Rama didn't know Riahna well enough to divert her attention away to something that the girl would see as more interesting.

_"Sure hope she stays away from me. I absolutely will not be her personal art exhibit."_ She had declared silently to herself at the time. Being on display was a feeling that Rama didn't care for at all.

Now, however as Ramiela saw Riahna approach her, she stiffened up in apprehension. "What is she going to do?" she thought worriedly.

The girl made her way into the pit without hesitation and over to where Rama was sitting. She studied the newcomer intently for a moment and then sat down next to her, looking hard at Rama with wondrous eyes.   She smiled.

Ramiela didn't know how to react and, noticing Raphael was watching from inside the house, sat stock-still. She tried not to flinch as Riahna lightly began touching her face, trailing her fingers over the various scars. She followed them down to her shoulders and then to her arms. The autistic girl instinctively avoided the more grievous and newer wounds, but traced the older scars more thoroughly.

The next thing that happened surprised Rama to no end.

"Pretty!" Riahna cooed. "Pretty lines, pretty colors…I like pretty!" then, without warning, she hugged Ramiela. "You're pretty, too!"

All Rama could do was sit there and be hugged. She had grown up in a family that had given lots of hugs and she didn't mind them from family members or those she viewed as close friends.  However, she didn't know Riahna at all and she didn't care much for that kind of familiarity from her. Unsure if pushing Riahna away would trigger a fit or, not, she allowed the girl's embrace. Rama understood about some aspects of autism from studies on human nature that Uncle Donatello had taught her. He had said most autistic didn't care to be touched. It was highly unusual then for one who did.  Distracting them was one way to get them to stop a bad behavior. However rejecting their affection out right was most certainly the wrong thing to do by comparison!

::::::::::::::

"Well, we have lift-off ladies and gents…Riahna just hugged the newcomer!" Raph exclaimed as he watched the spectacle unfold before him from one of the larger windows in the family room.

"What's Rama doing?" Mike asked worriedly as he came over to see.

Raph sniggered, "Taking it!"  He was definitely getting a good chuckle out of Rama's predicament. 

Rahab came to the window, as well, forgetting for the moment her irritation with her husband. She watched in rapt fascination the spectacle going on out by the fire-pit.  "Well, maybe Riahna's the key for getting Ramiela to calm down." She wondered aloud.

"Calming down isn't the problem, Rahab," Don interjected from his position on the couch, "it's getting her to accept things as they are for now. Until she tells us what's really going on with her, she's going to be difficult."

"She's obviously hiding something." Mike remarked, "Ever since yesterday when she nearly climbed the wall after seeing me for the first time…" his voice trailed off as he realized the nature of what he just said. Rama's reaction to him at that time had been the proverbial 'nail in the coffin' for him.

Rahab shot him a glare at that point, whereupon Mike shrugged his shoulders as if deflecting a strike. He made his way back over to the couch where he sat down in a huff. Don looked casually over at his younger brother and shook his head slowly in his direction. Either Mike didn't take notice of it or he chose to ignore it. Regardless, the poor turtle suddenly stood up, grumbled once, and stormed over to the basement door. He quickly opened it, slipping through the doorway and scooting down the stairs to the dojo.

"Maybe a good work out will clear my mind." He mumbled to himself. He could only hope.

Don knew what his brother was going to be doing. Feeling a need for a good sparring session himself, he decided to join Mike and maybe work the truth out of him at the same time. He could only hope, as well.

Meanwhile, Raph continued to watch Riahna hug Rama, smirking and relieved that now someone else had the distinction of being 'beautiful. He had always held a soft spot for Mike's afflicted daughter, though. She was usually a very sweet natured creature, but there were times her temper tantrums necessitated forcing her removal from the family to her bedroom. Mike or Rahab would often take her up to her room and try to distract her there; it usually worked, too. However, Raph was the only one in the family who had the 'gift' of placating Riahna without ever giving her a reason to act up. It was a known fact in the clan that Raphael was her favorite uncle.

As Raph watched the scene playing out in the backyard, he realized that Rama was starting to panic. He sensed a rising trepidation from her that was edging towards critical. However, Riahna refused to let go of her and he knew only too well what would happen if she was pushed away.

Ramiela had dipped into a light meditation to quell her rising panic. "_It's just a hug, Rama, dear"_ she reassured herself "_You can take a hug, that's all it is.  Breath deep and slow, in and out…"_ Nevertheless, Rama could feel old memories coming to the surface that bound her to a time when other unwelcome touches from non-family members had lead her into a great pain and humiliation.  The girl holding her didn't have a clue the effect her embrace was having on her 'victim.' She was only expressing her acceptance of this new member in her own way.__

_"Good golly she's strong!"_ Ramiela commented to herself as Riahna tightened her squeeze, "_If she holds me any tighter I think I'm going to lose all circulation in my arms and plastron and bust every stitch I have in me." _She gritted her teeth against the pain generated from the cuts and abrasions Riahna was rubbing against.  "_I swear, a boa constrictor couldn't have a tighter death grip. If she squeezes me much harder I'll be popping out of my shell for sure and go flying through the air."_

The scenario was not that hilarious for the moment.  Under normal circumstances, the picture it conjured up in her mind would have put her in a laughing fit.  However, considering the kind of suffocating embrace that Riahna had her in, laughing was that farthest thing from Ramiela's thoughts.

Still, as Riahna maintained her hold, Rama's thought about her capture experience from years earlier.   In a powerful and overwhelming rush, it all came back to her.  She couldn't help but remember the hands that had pushed and forced her into a hibernation chamber.  There, she had to endure such severe coldness like none she had ever faced before.  Then, the tight constricting straps with which they used to tie her down onto an examination table.  Her movements restricted, they ran numerous tests on her, including sending a probe inside of her to see if she was able to mate. There was so much more they had done to her that if she hadn't had her training, she would have surely lost all sense of self.  All of this was done without her consent or giving her any explanation as to why they were doing it to her in the first place.  Treated like a dumb animal, they took away from her any rights to an opinion or an explanation.

Ramiela looked up and saw Raph suddenly exit the house through the patio's sliding glass doors. She must have had a wild look in her eyes because he picked up his pace a bit, quickly shortening the gap between them.

"Hey, there Riahna – 'bout time you let Ramiela grab some air, girlie!" he soothed as he gently pulled the girl off Rama.

Riahna protested loudly as she shouted out " NO!" her sudden outburst startling her new friend. Rama backed away and watched as the girl kicked and flailed around, angry and defiant as Raphael picked her up. Then, Riahna saw who had grabbed her. She smiled big in recognition as Raph turned her around. Finally quieted, the girl allowed him to lead her back to the house.

He looked over at Rama and winked, nodding in the direction of the patio to indicate she should get back inside. "Once we get her upstairs, you'll be safe!" he said, grinning.

Yet Rama couldn't quite move towards the house, not yet, not until she quieted herself against the memories that now assaulted her. Standing there by the fire-pit, she did a short meditative exercise to quell the anxiety she was feeling.  As she slowed her breath down, her heartbeat gradually returned to normal. It had been a long time since she had such feelings like that. Obviously all the stress she had been under must have compromised her resistance.

Unaware that Raph had looked back to see why she was taking so long, Rama was slowly bringing her mind to a peaceful place. After about five minutes she felt normal again, ready to proceed to the house and join the rest of Don's family. She hoped that by the time she reached it, Riahna would be upstairs and in her room. She just couldn't fathom another round of Riahna playing _map-quest_ on her face.

Just as Rama started for the house, Raph came out. "You all right Ramiela?" he asked, somewhat concerned and just a little suspicious.  He has sensed her panic levels had been running extremely high.  He feared she would bolt over the rear fence and take off through the darkened forest.  Although he and his brothers were well versed in night searches, it wouldn't have been his first choice. 

"Yeah, ah…just taking one more look at the…ah…" Rama began thinking of using the trees as her excuse. However, she soon noted that with evening in full swing, it was too dark beyond the fence to see them. "Um, the stars, I wanted to look at the stars a little more." She said hurriedly and then made her way to the patio area.

As Rama walked into the house, Raph mentioned, "By the way, a couple other members of our family will be arriving shortly; Devon, my son, and then my other bro –Leo. They flew into San Jose a while ago. They'll be here in about two hours, maybe less." Then he waved her into the family room.

Rama steeled herself against the tendency to go wide-eyed upon hearing Leo's name. Now it was certain. Everyone that she knew and loved - with the possible exceptions of her step mom, aunts and maybe even Master Splinter – were duplicates here in this world. What was she going to do when Leo arrived? How should she respond to him? If she treated him better and with more respect than she had with the others, that would give Don an edge over her.  He could use Leo to break down her resistances and find out more than she wanted him to know.  She sighed deeply as her situation seemed to have become more complicated. Of course, a part of her knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up forever anyway, but for the present time, she preferred not to listen to that part.  Yet Rama knew in her heart that no matter what kind of world she found herself in, there wasn't any way she could show disrespect towards Sensei's twin! She had it too deeply ingrained into her, ever since she was a toddler.  It was just a part of who she was.

"_Ninjitsu is more than fighting, Ramiela, it's an attitude!"_ she mentally echoed her sensei's words. _"How right he is!" _She thought to herself. _"Would he sanction my disrespect for his twin though?"_ Rama asked silently. She doubted it.  Besides, the Leo here had done nothing to incur her wrath. Moaning to herself, she could only muse, shaking her head, "_Oh Ramiela dear what an awful mess you are in_!"

As she walked solemnly into the family room, Rama noticed that Seth and Gabby were tending their daughter. The child was playing with some colorful building blocks and having the best time knocking them over the moment they were three-blocks high. Her giggles reminded Ramiela of her cousins when they were younger and, of course, Tyler now.  Along with that memory, the realization hit her that she would probably never experience such joys as childrearing. Since she was the future Jonin of her clan, Ramiela didn't have the luxury of worrying about such matters anyway. How could she possible run a clan and be a mother at the same time?  The fact that she would probably never attract too many eligible bachelors had forced Ramiela to more-or-less accept her fate.  Though there was always the distant hope of someone seeing past the green, she was well aware that most boys would be more interested in human females than the likes of her.

Still, she couldn't help but flop dejectedly down on a chair. She watched the couple and their daughter as they interacted with each other across from her.  As she did, Rama wished and longed silently to have just a small part of that for her self someday.

Raph watched her, sensing her disgruntled mood quite easily. He shook his head, wondering if any of them would be able to get through to her. It was still early in Ramiela's stay at Mike's home, though. He reflected on Gabby's early days and realized that she hadn't been all that different.  Uprooted from her home and taken from the only father and family she knew, Gabby tried to run away the moment she arrived at Mike's house.  She didn't know at the time that her true family – and her natural father - was right under her nose.    She had been quite difficult back then but she eventually came around just the same, accepting Raph quite readily as her father. He decided then, as far as Ramiela was concerned, that there would be ample time to make some headway with her, too.

His attention, however, diverted over to his granddaughter playing on the floor as she squealed in delight.

"Mindy what color is this?" Gabby cooed.

"Blue!" the girl screeched triumphantly, raising her arms high as if she had won an important contest. "The block's blue, Mommy!"

"Yes, that's right, it's blue!  Good girl, Mindy!" Gabby exclaimed.

"What a smart little girl you are!" Seth chimed in.

The child clapped eagerly at her accomplishment, beaming from ear to ear. She looked around the room, making sure that it didn't go unnoticed. Of course, the only ones in the room for the moment were Raph and Rama. Raph made up for the lack of bodies, though, grinning wildly and bearing witness to fact that this child held center stage in his heart.

"Ah, where is everyone?" Rama asked, somewhat bored. She knew that Rahab was upstairs after claiming Riahna from Raph when he first brought her in from the patio. 

Raphael replied "Don and Mike went downstairs to the dojo; they're probably working out some details or two." He grinned mischievously, knowing that Don was probably pushing Mike for a confession.

"Dojo?" Rama asked her eye ridge raised just a little, a tiny stir of excitement coming from inside her. She had her suspicions about them, but Raph mentioning that word, dojo, certified that at the very least they did do martial arts of some sort.

"Yeah a place where we – ah – work out." He replied somewhat carefully. He still wasn't too sure about this mutant. Even though Don had found her beaten and cut up pretty badly as if from battle, there wasn't any real proof that she knew martial arts. In his opinion to consider she might even know ninjitsu was pushing the limits of assumption a little too much. Still, he had to wonder about her. She did know how to calm herself and had managed to get free of the restraints on the plane easily enough.  Yet, then again, a good magician might be able to perform much the same stunt.

Rama's attention went back to the toddler on the floor. She observed that her coloring was indeed almost human. The skin hue seemed like a washed out green with a hint of pink. Her facial features were nearly human as well, with just a subtle hint of a snout. Since the only human/mutant turtles she knew of were in her own family, the difference was quite discernable to her.

_"Good grief, how'd she get like that? I know it's possible for further mutations to happen, Uncle Donatello said as much once, but this is just - too weird!"_ She thought to herself, scowling just a little.

Still the human element in the girl's genetic heritage was unmistakable and it puzzled Ramiela a great deal, especially where Seth was the father. He himself had too many attributes that contradicted the child's own uniqueness. Even Gabby, with the exception to her hair, didn't seem like the natural mother. _"Maybe there was a gene that went awry. Sort of like with Riahna?"_ Rama reasoned silently.

However, she did have to admit that the baby seemed normal by any other account for a three year old.  She had seen enough of them over the years to know that much.

"So, Ramiela," Gabby asked, "Are there any children where you're from?" She smiled expectantly, handing another block to her daughter. Mindy gleefully piled it on top of the tower she had just made, giggling happily when said tower tumbled over, spilling the blocks every which way.

Rama was not expecting such a question, "Huh?" How was she to answer that one? By indicating there were others like her, more questions were inevitable. She wasn't quite ready for an interrogation or revealing so much about her family, yet she could tell that Raph's interest picked up quite readily with Gabby's inquiry.

"That is a very good question." Raph agreed, turning his gaze on Rama with a smile slowly creasing his face.

Rama shook her head "My memory is still a little fuzzy; I guess there could be but I'm not certain." She smiled inwardly at her nice save. She didn't view this as a lie, really, because for her it was protecting the young in her clan. It left things open-ended and not too definite; satisfying anyone's curiosity that at least there was the possibility she was one of many. However, Rama could tell that Raph wasn't convinced she was being completely forth coming. Well, that was just fine with her.  He hadn't been all that truthful with her either.  Her Uncle Raphael had always played straight with her and Rama thought it a great pity that this Raph did not share that trait with his younger twin. She watched him narrow his eyes, assessing the weight of her words.  She turned away to place her focus back on the child across from her.

Just then, Mindy stood up and looked at Ramiela carefully.  She giggled once and then walked over to her.

"Pway!" she screeched. "Pway wit me! Pweeeze!" Mindy exclaimed excitedly.

"Huh?" Rama was startled. Yes, she loved children, but not here and not now. She had a goal to be the most difficult guest Mike ever had at his estate. Playing with Mindy would upend that goal like no other. She had her task set before her and, in her usual mulish way, she would stick to it no matter what. "No, maybe later?" she begged as sweetly as she could.

Just as Rama finished her reply, she noticed Mindy's lower lip begin to quiver. It wasn't much, but it was just enough to tell her that the child was offended.  Obviously, she wasn't used to not getting her way. Being the only youngster in the family, all those around her probably spoiled her to death, in the same way Rama herself had been until Aiden and Kali arrived when she was five.

Then to Rama's sudden horror, the toddler burst out crying, throwing herself to the floor in a fit.

All Ramiela could do was watch with eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar from shock.  Even as a child she wasn't permitted to throw fits when someone opted not to play with her. She was mortified. At home in the lair, unless she was busy with her studies, doing katas, patrolling or teaching the young ones their ninja lessons, her cousins could always count on her to play with them. She was more like a big sister who was willing and able to kick back and chase the lot of them around their underground playground, or wrestle in some good old- fashioned fun.  She really did like children, but she had to stick with her plans, no matter what!

However, now - for all intents and purposes – she was looking more like an ogre. Rama looked around helplessly, hoping that someone would rescue her. Yet that was not what she found. Raph glared at her as if she had deliberately kicked his grandchild. Seth's pleasant outward expression closed down to almost unreadable. Gabby, though, smiled thinly and quickly scooped up the sobbing child, cooing to her softly.

"Oh, Mindy, Ramiela is probably tired. Maybe she just doesn't know how to play, Sweetie." She hugged her daughter and then stood up to leave, "Let's go upstairs and get Uncle Devon's room all ready for him, shall we?"

"Unca' Dev'n comin'?" the little girl hiccupped between sobs, her tear-stained face suddenly bright and expectant.

"Yes, he is!" Gabby cheerfully affirmed, "And Grandpa Leo, too!" she giggled as she tickled the child's tummy.

Mindy's tearful report erupted into squawks of laughter and exclamations of excitement, "Goody! I loves Unca' Dev'n and Gampa Leo! He throw me reeeeal hiiiiigh!"

Rama watched the two as they left for the stairs, mindful that she was now alone in the family room with the remaining two who were not exactly happy with her for the moment.  What did they expect her to do, put aside a whole war and give into a spoiled child? The kid would have to learn sometime that just because she wanted something didn't mean she would get it. After all, the toddler had a sibling coming and that would definitely change things for her anyway.

_"This just keeps getting better and better by the second, it really does!"_ She grumbled silently.

Smiling sheepishly, Rama shrugged a bit before trying to melt into the back of the couch and disappear. Problem was she couldn't.  She could only sit there and bear the brunt of Raph's and Seth's displeasing stares.

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**_RAMICA - _**

_Pretender: Yeah those 'hots' for Seth have cooled quite a bit with the knowledge he is married.___

_Lady Venom: Soon enough the introductions should be over and we can move into the real meat of the story and having fun...wait a minute, we've all ready been having fun we'll just have more of it.___

_Pretty Purple Pixie: Glad you are enjoying this. Yeah right now it is pick on Mike next time who knows...___

_Vestquex: You know what they say all the best ones are taken___

_Dancingfae: Don't you hate it when life trips you up only to laugh in your face? That is pretty much where Rama is at the moment. I think Reinbeauchaser loves torturing the poor girl almost as much as I do._

**_REINBEAUCHASE-_**_:_

_PRETENDER FANATIC: Poor Rama; she's experiencing her first crush and in the next instant gets crushed herself.  Poor girl – Bwahahaha!  Oh, what fun we're having with her.  Thank goodness she's not real!  Ah, that's correct, right, Ramica?  Good grief, please don't tell her where I live, whatever you do!  As far as bookending her, Raph and Don both are well versed in such tactics…can't say why since it's sort of 'classified'!  :0)  Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

_LADY VENOM2: Poor Seth probably knows already about how he's affected her; he's ninja after all!  The 'rest of the family' has yet to arrive and – we promise – that'll be interesting to say the least – for some, anyway!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_PRETTYPURPLEPIXIE: Yeah we do, too……NOT! Bwahahaha!  Love to torture the poor guy.  Glad you're enjoying it, too!  LOL  Well, more chapters even after this one – a lot more or a few; depends on where the muses take us!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_VESTQUEX: Well, I'm sure it's quite disappointing for Rama – but a whole lot of fun for us.  Did I just say that with the other reviews?  Yep, I did – so I guess we are, then!  Hey, thanks for thinking so and you can bet there will be more! Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed!_

_DANCINGFAE: Well, we had to get that cleared up right away, otherwise Gabby may have had to take things in her own hands.  Still more fun to come, though, so just hang on!  Yes, Ramiela will have a very long evening of very eventful situations yet to come.  So, stay tuned and keep reading!  Thanks for your reviews.  Be blessed!_


	12. From the Fying Pan Into the Fire

DISCLAIMER: Nope, can't claim ownership.  We've only borrowed and that's about it.  Ramica owns Rama, Reinbeauchaser owns the PC this story is typed on – oh, and Gabby, Mindy, and  - lessee  - that's about it.  Rahab, Seth, Gaele, Riahna and Devon are owned by Wendy A  Peabody.  All other TMNT's are property of Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.  Go guys!!  :0)

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CHAPTER 12 – From the Frying Pan into the Fire!

Waiting for Don, Ramiela sat on the couch in the living room, wringing her hands and fidgeting as she anticipated his presence.  Earlier she felt nothing but rage and hurt.  However, the only thing she was feeling now was regret.  Words, she mused, were more dangerous at times than a whole armament of weapons.  She recalled from her time in the lab that it was words which had set her free.  Didn't Benjamin Franklin say that the pen was mightier than the sword?

Why hadn't she just apologized to Raph and Seth about not playing with Mindy?  She could have explained it away as being tired or maybe sore from Riahna's hug earlier.  However, it wouldn't have been the truth.  Maybe she _was_ tired and sore, but that wasn't the real reason why she refused Mindy's invitation to play.  Yet, how hard would it have been, she thought, to just sit on the floor and help the toddler build towers with her blocks?  At the time, Rama believed she would have compromised herself.  In hindsight, though, it wouldn't have mattered at all, except to make a three year old happy.  She felt truly awful about her decision and the hurt she caused the little girl. It wasn't like her to offend little ones, not even at home. Yet, she hadn't thought that one little 'no' was so terrible.  It wasn't as if she had told the kid to get lost or anything like that.

Just the same, what was she becoming if she allowed herself to use a baby as a pawn?  Her game of war against those who had challenged her in the first place didn't involve the child at all.  The more she thought about it, the worse she felt.

Still, what Raph had said to Rama earlier had hurt, too, and it was just as un-called for as her own actions had been.  His accusations were bad enough, but then he took it just a step further, which resulted in her current situation….

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They had been going at it back and forth regarding Ramiela's attitude for a good ten minutes.  While Raph and Rama argued, Seth had excused himself to go upstairs to check in on Riahna and his family.  However, Ramiela saw it as his way to let everyone know on the second level what was going on downstairs in the other room! 

_"Great, Mr. Perfect turns out to be a perfect snitch!"_ she had grumbled.  Her increasingly bad attitude only escalated from there.  She was getting rather snippy with her words and comebacks, posturing herself in front of Raph as if challenging him.

That was when Raph started accusing Rama of being a brat.

"How dare you call me that!" she yelled, "You don't even know me!" Rama fumed, straightening her back and scooting to the edge of her chair in defiance. 

"That's the problem; you won't let anyone get to know you!" Raph yelled back.  He was standing, now, and posturing himself aggressively and throwing his arms out for emphasis.

"Well, considering I was _forced_ here, why should I?" Rama growled out. "After all, you treated me as if I had no more intelligence than a stupid animal."  She glared at him viciously. 

"I'm not going to discuss that with you, Ramiela.  We've already been down that road." Raph grated, lowering his head just a little while his eyes still locked onto hers. "What I want to know is this. What do you have against Mindy?"  His mouth was now set in a firm hard line.

"I don't have _anything_ against Mindy!" Rama said defensively.  She stood up, becoming more agitated.  She walked irritably in front of the oversized stone fireplace and faced a rather unhappy Raphael.  She stood ready in her stance with her arms folded across her plastron in determination.

"_Don't_ tell me that; I saw how you were looking at 'er!" Raph's temper was beginning to show itself as he forced his words through his gritted teeth.  He stood a little straighter, now, which added a couple of inches to his stature.  Rama was surprised.  She thought he was already standing at his full height!

Trying to not be intimidated, but be intimidating herself, "As if you could even discern what I was thinking, BAKA!" Rama declared angrily.  Raphael or not, she didn't feel one bit obliged to show this copy-of- her uncle one ounce of respect.  He was just as guilty of duping her as Don was.

Raph grated under the insult, taking a small step in her direction. "Don't you _ever_ call me that again, RAMA!"

Her eyes wide with emotion, she countered; her hands on her hips, "I did NOT give you permission to call me RAMA!" she hissed sharply. One thing that she had always been adamant about was who could and could not call her by her shorter baby name. 'Rama' made her sound as if she was a sheep and she was not a sheep in any way. Besides, to her it showed great respect in saying a person's full name.  It was as if it that person meant a great deal to you.  She had never cared to go by shorter names, anyway, even though she knew how much her Uncle Raphael preferred them.

"Tough, RAMA!  I'll call you what I want to call you.  What're ya gonna do about it, RAMA!" Raph sniggered, daring her to do something.  He sneered at her derisively.

"No one calls me that WITHOUT my PERMISSON!" she was seething now and quite offended.  What made it worse, her pseudo Uncle Raphael was the one who was challenging her. She bristled in fury and hatred. He was not gaining her respect in the least through his actions.  In fact, if it weren't for her injuries, she would have challenged him to a fight!

"Too bad!  You're stuck with Rama from now on.  Everyone will be calling you Rama whether you give them permission to or not!" Raph folded his arms against his plastron, smug in that he found her weakness.  He waited and watched as her anger was near to boiling over.  His own temper was roiling pretty well all by itself, triggered by Rama's insult and of her arrogant attitude. 

In that moment, her disposition tanked.  Never had she been as disrespected before as Raph was doing to her now. What hurt most was her favorite Uncle's twin was responsible.  He was nothing like the turtle she loved, however.    Fuming with rage and before she could even think about the next words coming from her mouth, she spat out,

"Fine, WHATEVER!  Call me what you want, but at least _I_ look normal for a MUTANT!"

That comment should have had Rama's chucked out of her shell.  Of course, that would have been just fine with her; by then she was more than willing to go at it with her ninjitsu – stitches and all.  However, it wasn't what her antagonist had in mind.  Faster than she had anticipated, Raph was by her side, grabbing her so quickly and having her out of the family room so fast that Rama wondered where her defensive measures went. 

_"Good grief, he moves almost as fast as my Uncle Raphael!" _she remarked to herself in surprise.  She tried to keep up with the enraged turtle, his one hand grasped around her right arm and expertly leading her along.  It was obvious to Rama that he had gone ninja in that moment!  He was growling under his breath as if holding back from what he'd really prefer doing to her.  Briefly, she was quite relieved he was exercising self-control!

Before she knew it, Rama was in the living room. "Sit; do not leave this room!" Raph commanded loudly, "I think a little Q and A by Don is in order!  Don't think of high tailing it out of here, either, RAMA!  You won't get far if you do!" As he was leaving, she heard him grumble, his voice fading away as he made for the basement stairs in the other room. "I've just about had it with your stinking attitude.  All Don's doing for you and you can do nothing but act like a spoiled brat.  I swear, if it' weren't for Don..." Then, she heard the sound of a door slamming shut and finally, the house was quiet.

Rama seethed, grumbling and spouting a long line of complaints, "Doing for me? What are they doing for me that's so great?"  Aggravated, she went into a rambling of run-on sentences, her anger raging side by side with each word she spat out, "They **_take_** me from my home, they don't **_talk_** to me to **_tell_** me what they want from me, they just **_barge_** right ahead and **_do_** what they want without a '**_by your leave'_**, then they **_drug_** me up and get me on a plane, and **_once_** here I'm under **_constant surveillance_**. **_It's no better than when I was in the stinking lab!_** Yet they expect me to be **_grateful_** for it? They expect me to just go along and give them **_respect?  In a pig's eye!_**" she hissed.

Despite Raph grabbing her, however, Rama realized that he hadn't hurt her.  His touch had been light but firm as well as effective in getting her into the living room.  As she thought about it, he executed quite an impressive move all the way around.

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Now she was sitting on the brown leather couch, wondering how she would be able to remain uncooperative and still appear apologetic.  She really hadn't meant to insult Mindy or Raph, but her stubbornness took over the minute Raph assumed what she was thinking.  It was her thoughts that she was angry with and Ramiela was embarrassed that she had allowed them to be so obvious.    

_"Oh if only I could just close my eyes and then open them to find myself back home!"_ she moaned to herself.  She squeezed them shut, pushing back the flood of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her.  She opened eyes again.

"Nuts, I'm still here!" she fumed, slumping over and resting her elbows on her knees with her chin in her hands.  Sighing dejectedly, she waited.  "What will Don do?" she wondered in concern.  She thought back to New York, before he drugged her.  He had been so nice to her, so accommodating.  For a moment, Rama wondered if maybe she was overreacting.  "Maybe I'm wrong.  Maybe Don was only trying to help me?"  Then, her anger returned when she remembered how her own mother had drugged her years before when she was seven.  "No one drugs a friend.  Drugging someone only ensures their cooperation where it wouldn't be freely given!"  That thought only reestablished her intent to make things as difficult as she possibly could, although Rama was beginning to wonder about the wisdom of it all. 

Within minutes, Don strode into the living room.  He looked as if he had been working out, a heavy sheen of sweat clinging to him like a coat.  He was breathing slightly heavier than normal and his irritation from the news Raph had just shared with him was quite evident.

"What did you do, Ramiela?" Don demanded, taking one of the chairs across the room and sat down.  Leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees, he took the towel he had in one hand and wiped the perspiration from his face.  He then looked at her with a determination that Rama found quite familiar.  Whenever her father or uncles would work out, either with their katas or sparring against one another, they had a certain look to them.  It was one of determination and intensity.  Don had that look now and as he directed it towards her, Rama felt small and insignificant.

"Um…ah…nothing serious, Don." She managed to squeak out.  Her Uncle Donatello, though as capable as her father or uncles were in ninjitsu, was soft spoken.   He rarely raised his voice to her.  Yet, this Donatello wasn't anything like him at all.  He had an obvious underlying strength that dared you to defy him, almost like Uncle Raphael only more reserved by comparison.  His expression told her she had just crossed that proverbial line of tolerance and now she had to pay up.

"Nothing SERIOUS?  You all but called Raph's granddaughter a …. _FREAKI_!" he nearly choked on the offending word.

"I did NOT call her that! I would NEVER call ANYone that." Rama cried out defensively, forgetting her insecurities.  She straightened up, declaring emphatically, "I would never use such a word - not ever!"  Tears welled up in her eyes as she shook under the weight of Don's accusation. Hadn't her own Uncle Raphael told her that 'freak' was one word she shouldn't ever say? She herself had felt the brunt of the offensive word and called an abomination by her best friend's mother. Rama fought back, determined not to break; she wouldn't break, not here and certainly not now.  She steadied herself, regaining her composure once again.

"Then, what did you mean when you told Raph that you looked normal for a mutant?" Don asked softly.  He saw and sensed Rama's mounting turmoil and he knew the word he used had hit home.  How could it not?  He himself had heard that word applied all too often in his and his family's regard.  It was a word that offended a great many in his clan, so it was a given that it should offend Ramiela as well.

Rama dug deep within her resolve to keep her emotions from spilling over.  She tried to tap into her anger and rage, but it eluded her, staying just beyond her reach as it taunted her.  What she was able to grab onto, though, was contriteness and compassion for Mindy.  The child was, after all, just a baby by comparison.  The girl had probably tried to welcome Rama earlier into the family with her invitation to play.

"I - ah – was angry at Raph; he called me Rama without _my_ permission.  It's a personal thing; it's my name and I feel very protective of it."  She shrugged, trying to distract Don from the topic. 

"That doesn't explain what you said to Raph, though, RAMA!" Don inquired, one eye ridge cocked up as he studied her.

Ramiela bristled at the cheekiness that Don displayed by using her shorter name.  Yet she knew in that moment he was goading her; playing her as if she were a deck of cards – and Rama was going to make sure that he would never cash in.  Yet, as with Raph, it didn't help make her feel any more respectful towards him, either.  Nevertheless, as she thought about her ill-spoken words, she realized that Raph had been right.  Mindy looked stranger to her than her own family did.  In a brief lapse of concentration while she was watching the child play, Rama had thought the equivalent of the offensive word Don was accusing her of saying.  She winced inwardly as she realized that.  However, it was not something that she would never voice openly.  She could tell that Don felt about that word the same way as she did. 

"Ramiela, I can sense your conflict, so I want you to stop playing these games of yours!" Don entreated, "You are not a prisoner here, you are our guest and part of our family."

"I'm not playing GAMES!" Rama yelled, using the change in topic to distract Don further from his previous inquiry, "And _I am_ a prisoner!  YOU LIED to me; you DRUGGED me!  How am I to react to that, huh? People with honor and integrity don't go around drugging their '_guests'_ and then putting those '_family members'_ in dangerous situations!"

_Guest_ - what a funny way they had of identifying her. In her home, her family treated guests with the utmost respect.  They never drugged or forced them to do things against their will.  If they had started to treat guests that way, they would only endanger their own lives.

"I have not put you in a dangerous situation.  My planes are the safest around, Ramiela, and Mike's home is more secure than Fort Knox!" he explained patiently. "And as for honor, it goes both ways, my dear.  We all know that you are holding back!  You know something about Mike and you're not telling us!"

"_Tell_ you? Why should I tell you anything when I don't even know if I can _trust_ you? My counsel is my own to keep until I feel safe doing otherwise. After your deceit I can't be sure of your intentions but I am to trust you with my secrets?" She snapped quickly. "You must be a bigger BAKA than your brother!"  In an instant, she saw him flinch and in the next, Rama knew she had crossed yet another 'line'!

She scowled at Don as he stood up and walked over to her.   The closer he came to her the more she had to look up at him.  In that moment, she realized what he was doing.  Don was putting her in a position of subordination, forcing her to change her perspective of him and to impress upon her the futility of her behavior.  It was an aggressive ploy on his part to turn the tables on her; she recognized it immediately.  Rama also knew, once again, that he was clearly not like the Uncle Donatello with whom she was familiar.  This one had presence and authority!  He was also beginning to become quite intimidating!

"Ramiela, so long as you maintain this ridiculous air of ignorance and as long as you continue to cause grief, all of this will be put upon Mike's shoulders.  From now on, he is the one who will be paying the price for your reticent behavior!" Don declared evenly. 

From her right eye, a movement caught Rama's peripheral vision.  She turned her head instinctively and saw that Mike had just walked into her line of sight.  He stood by the front door and near the entrance to the living room.  She looked over at him and saw that he was perspiring as well.  However, what she also saw were noticeable bruises along his shoulders and thighs.  It was as if for the past thirty minutes, Don had worked him over.

"Wh- what did you do to him?" Rama cried out in shock.  She couldn't comprehend this new ploy.  After all, understanding another's motivation was part of her training, but this was nothing short of blackmail.  That they would force her to give up her secrets and expect her to trust them and respect them, or in the end hurt Mike if she didn't, was just plain evil.  Forcing her to respect them through fear and terror was, to Ramiela, counterproductive.  It was not something she was used to giving under such tactics.  Don's ways were too much like the scientists, '_Do what we say or we will make you do it, like it or not.'_  Those had been her choices in the lab and it seemed as if it was the same here, too. They were nothing like her beloved family in the sewers.  What kind of insanity was this? She longed desperately for the security and safety of her own clan; she wished that Cathy or Aunt Karena or, better yet, even Splinter were here.

Slowly but surely, Rama's hatred and resentment for Don and his tactics intensified.

Mike glared at her as if he had figured out she knew more than she was letting on.  Rama felt a bit of pity for him, nonetheless.  _"He is innocent and yet treated as if he were guilty!"_ she moaned to herself.

"To answer your question, we were sparring.  Do you know what sparring is, Ramiela?" Don answered, cocking an eye ridge at her.  He had sensed there was more to this girl than just her ability to calm herself or to know how to goad someone.  There was a deep-seated suspicion that this mutant was more than what she seemed.

"Sparring?" she feigned ignorance. "Like in fighting?" she asked innocently.

Narrowing his expression, Don commented dryly, "Yeah, like fighting."  He watched her facial coloration and the dilation of her eyes.  It was very subtle but he saw it - recognition.  She knew exactly to what he was referring. "Ramiela, how did you get your cuts and bruises?"  His vocal inflections became softer, more caring – maybe a deliberate ploy to shake the direction of his confrontation with her.

As Don changed the subject, he sat down next to Rama, looking briefly over towards Mike to let him know he was done with him.  Mike stormed back into the rest of the house, heading for the stairs.  Ramiela could feel the rage pouring off of him.  She cringed at the realization that by staying silent she would be causing him more grief.  Although she felt an ache in her heart, she was determined to keep a tight lip on the truth. They had not earned the right to it because of their lies and deceit.  By using force and putting their demands against her, they lost any leverage that might have rewarded them with what they wanted to know.  They hadn't even bothered to tell _her_ the truth, and yet they expected it from her, just the same.  She found Don to be rather hypocritical.

"Ramiela, look at me!" Don snapped loudly.

Rama instinctively turned her face to him, recognizing by the force of his words that he meant business.

"HOW did you get so injured?" he asked intently.

"I – ah – can't remember." She lied not even flinching inwardly at her alibi. At home, everyone knew she was truthful, but at home, people didn't lie to her or force her to say things she wasn't ready to say.  Consequently, she didn't feel obligated to be truthful

"Really?  Strange, I get the distinct impression that you know exactly how you came by those cuts and abrasions!" He studied her reaction and knew in an instant that he was correct.

Rama was now convinced that this Don Tello was more than what she believed him to be.  Dipping into her ninjitsu, she quickly shielded off her mental thoughts.  She had been so intent on making life miserable for everyone, that she hadn't bothered to discern if these turtles were able to sense things the way she could. She knew her clan could not only pick up on emotions but could also pick up on thoughts around those emotions.  She was fully capable of reading minds word for word if she wanted to and her clan used these skills to communicate with one another from time to time when necessary.  However, they could shut these thoughts off, too.  Now, however, as she brought up her mental wall to hide behind, she sensed in that moment Don's own prodding of her mind.  She wasn't sure how much he was able to discern, but by the slight expression in his eyes, Rama knew he discovered enough.  She chided herself for not doing likewise to them!  Yet she had been too busy being angry, which wasn't a good enough excuse.  _"Sensei would certainly have a word or two for me about not being more careful!"_ she berated herself.

Still, she would not own up to it, not until Leo arrived.  For some reason she felt he would be the only one to understand and, maybe, he could take her back to wherever he had been before arriving in San Jose.  She figured he had flown in from somewhere and maybe that 'somewhere' was where Splinter lived!  She would willingly get back on a plane if it meant taking her to her beloved Master.  Maybe if she confided in Leo he would take her to see him.  She was sure that through Splinter and his meditative skills he could determine the best way for Ramiela to return to her own world and her family. For the moment that was all she really wanted.  These turtles might have a life above ground but she could never accept their tactics and treatment as her own - not ever!  Ramiela had honor and integrity.  She was, after all, kunoichi!

"My memory isn't quite there, yet, Don." Rama did her best to sound convincing. 

"No?  Well … why don't you sit there for a while and think about it, okay?" Don was getting a bit impatient but he saw Rama, now, as one more adversary to overcome.  He had dealt with stubborn individuals before and had business dealings with more reticent people than this girl.  He also knew that his oldest brother would soon be arriving.  He was confident that Leo would be able to break down the wall that Rama had so expertly put up just a moment ago.

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Rama shifted nervously, mindful that even with his eyes closed, Don had his mind clearly on hers.  She was finding it quite daunting to remain closed up for so long with what was apparently a stronger mind prodding and poking around her own.  Feigning ignorance for over an hour was a lot harder to do than she had ever imagined it to be. 

_"At the very least, I'm getting some practice in!"_ she mused silently.  Then, she yawned and stretched, "Maybe we can shelve this exercise in futility for the night, Don.  I'm quite tired and my stitches are bothering me." She exclaimed aloud.

"Leo should be here soon.  I want you to meet him." Don mumbled as he kept his eyes closed.

"Well, can't I meet him tomorrow?" she asked.  Rama knew that even though she was quite up to the task of shielding her thoughts, the amount of time she had to do it was taxing.  Add to that Don's attempt to finding a 'crack' in her wall only added to the stress.  She didn't know anything about her sensei's twin and for all she knew he was on par with him.  If that were true, then all Don was doing was softening her up for the real assault!

She glanced over at Don, glaring, and then began to hum a song she had not thought of for some years.  It was a song she made up while in the lab that helped to remind her of who she was.  However, she stopped it after a few bars as soon as she realized what she was doing.  Maybe later she would sing it when she was alone. That is if she ever found a chance to be alone in this place.

"No, I want you to meet him tonight!" Don insisted. He had heard her humming, although he couldn't place the song right away. Perhaps Gabby, with her love of music, might be more familiar with it. He wondered if it was some sort of clue the girl had let slip out.

Trying another maneuver, Rama asked, "Well, can I at least visit a restroom?  I have to go."

Don turned his head towards her and slowly opened his eyes.  Where had he heard _that_ one before?  "Okay, but the powder room by the front door." 

Rama stood up and so did Don.  "I think I can find it!" she said defensively.

"I just want to make sure that you get there 'safely' is all!" her escort explained.

Rama was about to say something to that remark, like… _"If Mike's place was so safe, why do I need an escort?"_  Nevertheless, she decided to bite back that reply for the moment. 

Shrugging her shoulders, Rama was followed out of the living room and across the foyer to a door just in from where the den was, opposite from the room she had been in.  Going inside, she shut the powder room door and locked it.  She really did have to go.  Yet once she was done, she hesitated flushing the toilet.  Instead, she pulled the commode lid down and sat upon it.  With her head in her hands and her elbows resting on her knees, she sighed to herself. _"What am I going to do?  If Leo arrives and if he's as good as Sensei is, I don't know if I can withstand his prodding."  _She stayed where she was for a while, contemplating her situation.  Nevertheless, she knew she couldn't stay in there forever.  After flushing the toilet and then washing her hands, Rama finally emerged from the powder room. 

Don was there waiting for her, as she expected, but his scowl had turned into a smile.  "Rama, I'd like to introduce you to my brother and nephew!"

"Huh?" she replied, turning towards the front door.  _"So soon?"_ she thought to herself.

"Devon is Raphael's son…." Don began.  Rama quickly took note of the one he was referring to as she spied someone similar to Seth but with a cockier expression on his face.  There was a lot of Raphael in him, too, she admitted.  However, Devon had the same blue hair and the long, iguanid tail as his mother and siblings.  He smirked at her and nodded once. 

Before she could react towards him, though, Don continued his introductions, "…and my brother, Leonardo!"  Don watched Ramiela, knowing that Leo would be discerning her in that moment.  He knew, as well, that Rama was surprised, just by her reaction alone.

Leo came from around Seth, slipping easily to the other's side as he studied this newest member of his clan.  Yet, he was just as shocked as she was, only for a different reason.

Rama's response was unexpected!  Instinctively and before she could even catch herself, Rama bowed low respectfully with her eyes towards the floor.  She immediately exclaimed, "Konoban wa yusei na joi no, Sensei."

Don's eyes went wide.  He shot a look at his newly arriving brother and opened his mouth, then closed it.  Finding his voice again, Don asked Leo accusingly and in loud surprise, "YOU KNOW HER?"

Sensing his brother's rising ire, Leo faced Don, his own eyes slightly widened, and shook his head, "I've never seen her before, Don; I swear it!"

Don looked back at the girl and saw the tremor coursing through Rama's body as she shook and as she sustained her ojigi, or bow of respect.  He put his senses into high gear and noted not only respect but recognition from her as well.

Turning back angrily towards Leo, he could only mutter, seething out, "Like _hell_ you don't!"

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RAMICA –

**vestque:** Don't know if Devon is going cool Rama's heart or make it hotter only time will tell so stay tuned on that one. By the way how those (cough) allergies holding up?

**Pretender Fanatic:** Geesh it is great knowing this story isn't putting people to sleep. I can't promise long chapters all the time but I am sure there will be a few more coming.

**Lady Venom: **Rama disrespectful? NEVER!!! She just doesn't like being lied to. She told them she was going to be their worst enemy and she is living up to that. Luckily it isn't April Fools or Rama would really be going to town. How it will work with Leo well just stay tuned and you'll find out.

**Danceingfae: **Hard to say everyone has their own ideas about the crying toddler bit and to give in or not. I think it depends on the individual. Rama is so turned around right now she doesn't know if she is coming or going.

**To all Readers:** Thanks for all the reviews thus far. I'll be leaving on vacation this coming Saturday and will be gone two weeks but we have enough chapters ready and in holding, that Reinbeauchaser will still be posting one a week while I'm gone. I even give her permission to post one more if she wants depending on her mood and what else she is up to while I am having a well earned break.

Needless to say, I won't be commenting for a bit, but may comment on my return so please continue to review.

See you in a few weeks!


	13. Oh What a Tangled Web!

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: All characters except Rama/Ramiela (owned by Ramica) and Gabriella & Mindy (owned by Reinbeauchaser) are property of Eastman and Laird. There, it's said – again, just so we don't get sued. Oh, and as far as the Japanese phrasing in the previous chapter as well as all other chapters, Ramica is using a English to Japanese translation book. We haven't a clue if we're getting the order of words right or not, so just focus on the 'spirit' of the phrasing, okay? Read, review, enjoy, or whatever. Just be blessed!_

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CHAPTER 13 – Oh, What a Tangled Web!

Ramiela stayed in her sustained ojigi, waiting for Leo to release her. The moment she had bowed, she knew what she had done. Now, it would be nearly impossible for Rama to reverse it until her sensei-twin acknowledged her. Again, it was how she learned to respond to her elder. The only way she would allow herself to finish was for Leo to do his part.

"_What if his twin doesn't know the correct response, though?" _she thought frantically.Without his reply, it would be rude of her to leave, yet what could she do. She had to hope he would know.

Although Don's eyes were hard upon him, Leo understood what the correct response should be to Ramiela's bow. He had to admire her respectful action, although he didn't have a clue why this stranger gave him the honor accorded in that particular greeting. Additionally, he was at a complete loss to his brother's comment as well. Glancing once at Don, Leo looked back at the girl again and spoke the customary reply to her, bowing and then giving Ramiela permission to resume her vertical position.

Rama straightened back up, gulping nervously and doing her best not to sigh with relief that Leo's twin had indeed known the correct response. She saw the obvious displeasure, however, on Don's face. She knew that with her single act alone, subconsciously given as it was, that Leo was now under suspect right along with Mike. She wondered if he was aware of her parentage, if Don had told him about his assumptions pertaining to her. In a matter of minutes, Rama would find out.

"Leo…" Don seared a look at his brother and demanded, his voice on edge, "Why would Ramiela bow to you or accord you the kind of respect she just did?"

The newly arriving turtle shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, "Beats me!"

"I'd like to, believe me!" Don snapped. He then turned his attention to Devon, "Your father is in the dojo working out. If you feel up to it, maybe you can _assist_ him?"

Devon realized his uncle wasn't merely suggesting, but subtly ordering him. He nodded once at Don, then towards Leo, but he gave Rama only a quick once over before taking his leave. He neither acknowledged nor ignored her; he just looked her over quickly and went on his way.

Rama's focus was more on Leo for the moment so the best she could give back to him was a wry smile and a bit of a shrug. There would be time enough to become acquainted with Devon, though she was starting to wonder if she would even want to, considering what transpired with Seth earlier. Yet in that juncture of time, she noticed he had a distinct resemblance to Raphael. His expression and maybe just a hint of the caustic personality the older turtle espoused quite evident. However, Devon made a quick exit towards the dojo before she could ascertain anything more about him. She did note, however, that he had the same blue hair – which was short on top with it longer in back - and the lengthy iguanid tail as Seth did. For the moment, though, her concern was on Don's reaction to how she had responded towards Leo.

Leo looked at the mutant and saw how concerned she appeared to be. He also took note of her familiar features, his eyes widening ever so slightly. Turning towards his brother, "Trust me, Don, I've never seen Ramiela before!" He then asked, "Why are you so upset, anyway?" Leo furrowed his eye ridges in concern.

Don looked at Rama and saw how contrite she was. Whatever was going on with her, Leo had a part in it and come hell or high water, he was going to find out what was going on! Turning back to Leo, "You and I need some catching up to do. The den?" he nodded towards the room across the foyer from the living area.

"Yeah, fine…I'd like to know what's going on as well." Leo agreed.

"Ramiela, I'm releasing you for the night. You may grab a snack if you want, but I think you need your sleep. Maybe come morning you'll be in a better frame of mind to fill us in on some details?" Don said flatly. "And, sometime tomorrow, I expect _you_ to make amends to Raph, as well as Seth and his family."

Only because her sensei-twin was standing before her did Rama keep back the tart reply she had in mind. If it had been otherwise, she would have told him that his apology would have to be forthcoming first before she would even consider his request. Instead, though, she remained mute, bowing quickly towards Leo once and then giving Don a steely glare before turning on her heels. She felt both turtles' assess her departure; one in complete confusion, while the other expressing disapproval and apparently sensing her subliminal rebuke.

_"Yeah, a good snack – like kicking a tackling dummy for an hour – seems like a good idea to me!"_ she seethed under her breath. However, with the dojo occupied for the moment, she resigned herself to the kitchen. Besides, her quickly healing injuries still stung a little bit and she didn't really want to experience any setbacks with them. More than anything Ramiela wanted to get back to her old self so, if the need arose, she could challenge one or all of them to a sparing match! At least that's what she felt like doing, anyway.

However, as she thought about what Don had just told her, the very idea of it grated irritably against her. _"The nerve of Don ordering me to apologize!"_ she grouched. As far as she was aware of, the only true offense had been towards Raph, and possibly to Mindy. Even if they could read thoughts, in her clan it wasn't required to apologize for them. Just a simple _'Mind what your thinking' _was usually enough to suffice. What mattered most to her clan was the spoken word. For the most part, random thoughts - with some exception - were easily excused. How one voiced their thoughts was far more important. By that standard, Rama felt she had caused no true offense to Seth or his family other than to tell Mindy she wasn't interested in playing.

Still Rama paused for a moment. She knew that young children could be very perceptive to emotions around them, especially from their caretakers. It was possible that Mindy sensed Rama's immediate revulsion. She had, after all, been wondering how the child had become the way she was. It still seemed unlikely, though, since the young girl was not familiar with her. It took a trained ninja to infiltrate another's mind and, as it was, Mindy was too young to start basic training. Yet the way Raph verbally attacked Ramiela and then used her nickname without permission irritated her to no end. Rama felt owed an apology too, yet it didn't seem like one was going to be forthcoming any time soon. Thinking about what Don had told her on the plane, by all appearances whatever 'best interests' they had for her was a contradiction in terms.

Grabbing up a pear from the fruit bowl on the breakfast bar, she headed back towards the stairs to her room. She glanced out the sliding patio door towards the backyard and saw Mike sitting in one of the lounge chairs. He had his coat on and a drink in one hand. She shook her head at the true contradiction in terms as she watched her father-twin. Her real father back in the sewers would have never allowed any of his brothers to beat him up the way Don had. Oh, there were times in their youth that disagreements would happen and a little pushing and shoving would ensue. Yet to allow anyone to pummel him as Don had would have gone completely against the Bushido code they all lived by. Rama almost felt compelled to slip outside and express her apologies to him. However, caring as she was, Rama's mulishness held ground.

As she began to ascend the stairs, she could hear Don's raised voice coming from the den as he began his interrogation with Leo. She barely heard the other turtle's desperate reply of denial about knowing who she was. For a brief moment, she wanted to march in there, as well, and declare his innocence. She wouldn't put it passed Don to use the same tactics on Sensei's twin that Mike evidently experienced. However, she was – as Don assumed correctly – very tired. Though she was used to late hours given her nightly patrol duty back home, the entire day had worn her out both physically and mentally. She only hoped that she would be able to sleep through the night.

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She looked at the clock again and sighed, "Three A.M. and I'm still wide awake! Sheesh, you'd think my body would be grateful for the extra time to sleep!"

She had managed about two hours of shuteye before her body stirred itself back to wakefulness. Its inner clock apparently still keeping time with her usual routine. Just because she was in a different world didn't mean diddlysquat it seemed. Now, Ramiela was currently on her stomach as she tried fitfully to relax her mind. She had tried meditation, hoping to assist that endeavor. Yet she also hoped that somehow she would connect with her family somewhere or sometime back in New York. Unsuccessful on both fronts, she resigned herself to exploring more of the bedroom.

"Hmm…how quaint, an armoire!" she mused as she sat up on the edge of her bed and visually took in tall piece of furniture. "Wonder if they keep extra clothes in there for guests – such as me!" Slipping off the bed, Ramiela walked over to inspect the bureau.

What she discovered, much to her delight was a television! Her eyes nearly bugged out, though, at the wide flat screen and the obvious modern hand control sitting neatly on top of it. It was perhaps the largest most beautiful T.V. she had ever seen, outside of a department store. Delighted more than anything now, she quickly found the 'On' button and within seconds, a light snow graced the television screen. Playing with the selector, she cruised through the varied channels trying to find something familiar to her. The more she pushed the button the more she realized that there didn't seem to be any limits to the programs and nothing that she recognized. "Is there no end to this?" she mused. There were more programs available than what she had ever experienced in the sewer. "They must have cable or something." She reasoned. Finally, after flying past the two hundredth channel, she realized that it ceased to hold her attention.

"Abundance isn't what it's cracked up to be, that's for sure!" Rama commented wryly. "You'd think with all that's available, there'd be something good on – even at three in the morning. Oh well, guess money can't buy every thing after all."

Restless and, yet, still sore, Ramiela decided that maybe a few easy katas might help her to relax. Remembering the beginner katas she had taken her younger cousins through, she started with those. They were easy and posed no threat to her cuts and abrasions. They did stretch her leg and arm muscles just enough to ease the tension that had been building up over the past twenty-four hours. As she worked along, putting more finesse into her movements than normal, she thought about Leo.

She knew that he would be the only one to open up to where she had already identified him earlier as her respected elder. She had even called him Sensei, _Now won't that give Don some food for thought?_ Rama smiled a little, recalling Don's shock and surprise. He had so hoped to 'whittle' her down to compliance once his brother arrived. That much she did sense from him before Leo showed up. It had worried her, too. However, even though the end-results put Leo in the hot seat, reflecting on Don's reaction gave Ramiela quite a bit of satisfaction. Although it was unplanned, she had with that one act alone, turned the tables on him. It was just one more defiant nail in the proverbial coffin for Don and the lack of respect that Rama had for him. After all, he had promised to care for her. Yet he had gone from being a possible friend to an enemy in short order. Friends didn't make decisions for you, drug you up, or demand obedience. If you did that to friends, you wouldn't have one for very long.

_"If he was as smart as my Uncle Donatello was back home, then enjoying the 'good life' must have knocked off a few IQ points from his intelligence score. All things considered he should have sensed Leo's sincerity when he denied knowing me!"_ she reasoned to herself, stretching the final movement of her kata to a sustained hold. She then straightened up and gave her traditional bow to end her session. "More to the point, he should sense Mike's as well!" she said aloud.

She felt better, but not the least bit tired. _"Maybe a hot shower…ah, shoot. I can't because of the stitches."_ Ramiela was frustrated and restless. This was the time of night when she'd be in the middle of her patrol, scouring the rooftops of lower Manhattan and maybe engaging in a little sortie with a few hapless Foot soldiers _"Sort of wish the Foot were here now I could blow off some steam_. _Just wait until I'm better, then I'll challenge both Raph and Don to a match." _She thought to herself. _"Hmm…I'm sure washing my hair would be all right." _She still had her hair tied back in a French braid, but it felt grungy just the same. Rama was used to brushing it thoroughly each night before retiring to bed after her watch then brushing and re-braiding it again each morning. Except for earlier, it had been three days since the last time!

Walking into the bathroom, she noticed the cabinets and drawers under the counter. She wondered if they had any supplies stored in them. Much to her delight, Rama found several different bottles of shampoo and conditioner. While she was there, she also discovered a hair dryer and in the drawers, an assortment of new looking brushes and combs. There were also curling irons and diffusers; just about everything someone with hair would want or need. Where most people would be thrilled, the more Rama thought about it, the abundance made her ill. Maybe she was jealous or maybe she saw it as too much over the top. Either way, she felt as if they were trying to buy her cooperation, which made her more determined than before to resist them. "_I will not be bought. I will never betray my clan or lose honor! I'd be a very pathetic future Jonin if I were to permit that!"_

Be that as it may, she would still take advantage of the shampoo for now; her scalp was starting to get quite itchy. Unable to use the shower the way she did back home because of her stitches, Rama did her best by leaning over the edge of the tub and ducking her head under the faucet. It made it difficult not to get the floor wet, but she managed well enough. After a while, she had her squeaky-clean hair wrapped up in one of the big towels afforded her and had the floor wiped up in quick order. She might not be the most agreeable 'prisoner', but she refused to be the messiest!

Usually, Rama just let her hair air dry while she slowly brushed and combed it out. Yet where she was starting to feel just an inkling of being tired, she didn't want to go to bed with a wet head. Instead, she used the dryer. Not having much experience with such a contraption before, when all was said and done she was unprepared for the way her hair puffed out. She just stood there in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection with a very disgruntled look on her face. "Great, now I'm Miss Frizz-head …what am I going to do now?" She could only imagine how her hair would be in the morning, "I'll probably have the biggest rats nest in history!"

Consequently, Ramiela decided to braid her hair again to at least keep such a catastrophe from happening. Rama had always considered her hair to be her crowning glory. She took great pains to keep it looking nice and only had it trimmed of spit ends when necessary while allowing it to grow. It was, she felt, her one true feminine feature. However, just the idea of looking like someone who was electrified didn't appeal to her at all. "The last thing I'll want is to give anyone in this house a reason to laugh at me!"

Finally, with every strand of hair in place and not doing its own thing, Rama finally began to feel a little tired. She came out of the bathroom and quickly slipped back into bed and under the mountain of sheets and comforters. Turning the table lamp off, she nestled down into her pillow and did a short meditative exercise. Before too long, she felt herself slip under and into a deep sleep.

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_She dreamt of New York and rooftops. She was on patrol, as usual, watching for trouble. Suddenly, her position changed and now Rama saw the battle scene again that preceded her current situation and the distant arrival of her family. She could hear them call out to her, telling her to hang on just a little longer, that they would be there soon enough. She heard herself call back for them to hurry up. Her father and all three of her uncles were running as fast as they could, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as they frantically attempted to get to her. Yet, just as they leaped onto the building where she was at, a stroke of lightening stuck close by her. Rama then saw herself fading in and out, almost as if she was becoming transparent. Finally, she disappeared, leaving her family to finish off the remaining Foot soldiers. _

_Instead of finding herself in a New York alleyway like before, the rooftop scene continued, showing the aftermath with her family looking for her. Her father, Mike, was near to panicking when it became obvious that she had disappeared. He looked up towards the heavens, almost looking at her as she watched the scene below, and called out for her. She thought at first that he had seen her, but then she noticed tears running down his face as the others embraced him. They looked as if they had just seen something completely unbelievable, their expressions wide and fearful. It was something that Ramiela was not used to seeing on them. What was it they saw? Was it possible that they saw her vanish the way she did? In desperation, she called out to them, hoping that they could hear her. However, that was not to be. After a time, with shoulders slumped in defeat, they picked up her weapons that were strewn around the rooftop and headed back the way they had come. Mike took one last look back at where she was last seen standing. However, frantically his brothers pulled and prodded him to move along. She could hear sirens in the distance as if someone had heard the ruckus and had called the police. It was quite apparent, though, that her father did not want to leave or to give up looking for her. Reluctantly, the four turtles made their way across the various rooftops, disappearing down the side of a building and out of sight. _

_All of this affected Ramiela deeply as she tried to make sense of it. _

The next thing she knew, she was crying and waking up to the darkened bedroom once again. Rama looked at the clock and realized she only had about an hour's worth of sleep, if that much. Sniffing back her sobs, she wiped her eyes and hugged her pillow. She thought about her father, Mike, and uncles, Donatello and Raphael. She pined for her real family and wondered why their twins here in this world were so different. The way they had manipulated her and lied to her, treating her so dispassionately and without regard for her feelings, made her feel as badly as she had in the lab years earlier. She vowed back then never to allow anyone to treat her so disrespectfully again. She had trained long and hard after that to become stronger and more capable to insure she would never be in that sort of situation where she had to comply with another's harsh and cruel demands. Yet, here she was in a very similar spot. What was she to do? Between the dream and her frustration, Ramiela allowed herself to cry once more, just enough to vent off the building up of anxieties. After she was done, she felt somewhat better. Not that it changed her situation any, but it seemed to be a catalyst for her to relax.

She missed her family greatly and so far, since she arrived at Mike's, the dream had been her only connection to them. She recalled the fear in her family's faces and knew how unnatural it had been. Whatever had brought her from home to this place could not be good if it could cause trained ninja to be afraid and show it. Whatever it was that they saw, it terrified them! She knew, as well, that her real dad would be very upset with her disappearance, especially with how protective he was of her. In that moment, she would give any thing to be close to him. She wanted to feel that familiar emotional bond that she shared with him, in spite of how often times that same bond irritated her. '_What they say is true, you really don't know what you have until it is gone'_ she mused reflectively.

It wasn't much longer after that and she drifted off to sleep once again. This time, however, she slept soundly and without any disturbing dreams.

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_RAMICA'S COMMENTS ON THESE REVIEWS WILL BE ADDED LATER ONCE SHE RETURNS FROM HER 2 WEEK VACATION._

**_SAILER VEGETA_**_: Hey, review whenever…we love them whenever! :0) Glad you are enjoying the story; we aim to please to the best of our ability! LOL Ah, well, considering what they went through with Gabriella in Yosutebito Daughter ( Reinbeauchaser's first ff.net story), they were just trying to make it easier on everyone. Considering Rama's injuries and her frantic return of her memories, they erred on the side of caution. Ninjas use drugs for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is to control someone who might go 'out of control'. Yeah, well, trouble seems to be part of the Rama-package of goodies! More to come, we promise! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX:_**_ Yeah, Devon will have his own time in the limelight we can assure you! Conversations speak louder than words sometimes, but actions are more fun. Hmm…not yet, though. Leo is NEVER in trouble, don'cha know? He's the perfect son…well…sort of. If you've read 'Rahab', then you know it's only an illusion! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed – and take something for those allergies! _

**_DANCINGFAE_**_: What is it they say? A leopard can't change it's spots? Something like that. Anyway, look for an update once per week, which is how we've been doing it. Maybe a total of three before Ramica returns from her vacation. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

**_LADY VENOM2_**_: Ah, but Don loves to work like this, he really does! Wait, maybe that's Leo. Hmm…Leo could be or could not be just like Rama's sensei. Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out, 'cause you didn't with this chapter! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Good golly, stop screaming or I won't have any windows left to keep the 'skeeters out this summer! Glad you liked chapter 12. It was fun to write with the arguments and all. Yeah, Rama is still wrestling with how she should be acting and how different things are in this world she's found herself in. Very tough situation. Will things get worse before they get better? Only the next few chapters will tell! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

_**Sailor Vegeta**: We don't need reviews all the time but do appreciate them whenever you care to give one. So glad you are  
enjoying this story so much. As for trouble well, that just might be Rama's middle name for all she gets into it. Stay  
tuned I'm sure you will be seeing a lot more trouble from her.  
  
**Vestquex:** Devon on the same train. Possibly he might even be the conductor of it, then again he might not.  
Leo in trouble, well it can happen after all trouble is like fertilizer it works best when it is spread around. I think  
we are just having alot of fun getting everyone we can into it.  
  
**Dancingfae**: Years of training can't be shoved aside quickly as Rama has learned. However her transference of respect has  
seem to put her and Leo into some hot water with Don, figuratively that is.  
  
**Lady Venom**: Well just stay tuned for how well Leo in this world lives up to his counterpart in Rama's eyes.  
  
**Pretender Fanatic**: Glad you are enjoying this but did you have to break all those windows with your scream? Arguments often can get very complex and Rama has a great deal going on inside her that she doesn't feel safe revealing  
which doesn't really help matters any. Nor can she help comparing these turtles to the ones she knows and loves.  
  
_


	14. Answers Revealed

**_DISCLAIMER_**_ – We can dance to this in our sleep…one, two, three; one, two, three – nope, don't own them, other than the obvious. Seems reviews were down for chapter 13, but that's all right. Summer's here, vacations are happening, and for those that it pertains to – the beaches are calling! So, when you can, read and review! _

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Chapter 14 - Answers Revealed.

Rama sniffed as she gazed listlessly out the bedroom window. Between the dream and sleeping very little through the night, she was exhausted. Her inability to sleep was possibly due to the fact that she was getting better. Additionally, her ninja clock of nighttime activity was starting to kick back in again. However, she felt it was due more to everything that was happening in this topsy-turvy world in which she had found herself.

Thinking about the dream, Rama found it to be weird and very disturbing. It almost seemed as if she had seen a glimpse of what transpired after leaving her world. How much time had elapsed there compared to where she was? Maybe, when she returned, they would never know that she had even left them. That would be preferable, of course. Yet it was also possible that the same amount of time had elapsed in both worlds. This only made her more melancholy thinking about her father's grief and her little brother's questions about where his big sister was. How would Splinter deal with it? Maybe he was trying to find her through meditating. Whatever the dream meant, or even if it was real, there wasn't anything that Ramiela could do about it. She had to focus on the here and now and try to find some way of getting herself back home.

Currently, however, she didn't trust Don, Raph or Mike. Rama wasn't even sure she could trust Sensei's twin. She sighed deeply to herself. Years of training had prompted the conditioned response from her that she displayed the evening before with Leo. Yet, more than that, she sensed how much he was like her sensei. If there was a Splinter in this crazy upside down world, then Leonardo might be the only one capable of bringing her to him.

While she hadn't slept very much, she had at least come to several conclusions through the long night, so at least the time hadn't been a total waste for her.

Conclusion one: those who lived here played the same sort of tactics the scientist in Connecticut had played with her. To sum it up, they would have their way and what she wanted didn't matter to them. If they had to, they would force her to comply with them. She had seen enough proof of this in the last twenty-four hours. They had drugged her, telling her it was in her own best interest. How they could deduce that when they hadn't even taken her thoughts or opinions into consideration was beyond her. Yet, she was supposed to be grateful for this treatment? Additionally, she was to open her heart and give up all of her secrets, thereby - as a result - betraying those she swore to protect. To make matters worse, she was to do it honestly and on demand, although she could not expect the same consideration from them in return. If she did not do so, they would then force or manipulate it from her.

In essence, she wasn't any better off than being a slave where she was not allowed an opinion or a choice in her life. Whatever would happen to her, Rama was to give unquestioning obedience to those who demanded it. Denied even the 'respect' of her full name, they would strip her of that and call her as they pleased and when they pleased, no matter how much she hated it or despised them for doing so.

_"They may as well call me A-23. What difference does it really make?"_ she mused to herself.

Conclusion 2: fighting them was futile and pointless. Rama had tried to fight the scientist while in their custody; although in the end, she did manage – with help - to escape. She knew it was almost impossible to get away on her own. With the lab well guarded, the scientists were also willing to drug her to keep her there against her will if it came down to it.

Comparing that time to where she was now, held too many similarities. She found that resisting their demands caused them to determine that hurting one of their own would somehow convince Rama to divulge her secrets. It paired up with how David had hurt Cathy when Ramiela was captured the second time. By then, Cathy had discovered Rama's intelligence and found protection from the clan when she assisted in the girl's first escape. Yet when she fell in love with Rama's father, it sealed Cathy's place within the lair.

Although Rama held Mike to blame as well for his part in Don's deception, she did not want him to shoulder the hurt for her silence. He was innocent of the crime of which they wanted him to confess. Part of Rama's training was to protect those who were innocent, regardless of what roll they played in her life.

Don had indeed played a masterful card when he told her that. However, she did not appreciate his harsh tactics in the least. If Don was so good at prying into minds, why couldn't he trust that Mike wasn't her father? Would he force his own brother to admit to a lie just to satisfy his own suspicions and demands? Judging from what she had seen of his tactics she wouldn't put it past him. Sooner or later Don Tello would get his way either through coercion or through force. It was wrong all wrong, and yet she saw clearly that she was playing a game she could not win, no more so than she could escape the lab. It was like trying to beat David Peterson himself all over again.

Rama sighed wearily, realizing that her present predicament and the one from the past really weren't all that different. The memory of the latter had been haunting her throughout this whole ordeal and it was just in that moment when she figured it out.

The third conclusion was a simple one for her. As soon as she could determine how to get home, she would leave these people. They might look like her family and even sound like them, but as far as the East was from the West, they acted nothing like them. Don may end up having her obedience, if that was what he wanted, but he would never gain her respect or trust. Such things were earned and Don would never have them with the way he had treated her.

_"If a slave is what he wants, then I'll give in."_ she mused sadly. She would spare Mike and protect him from punishment for a crime he didn't commit. She might as well let Don call her A-23 while he was at it and allow him to brand her again as his own personal pet the way David Peterson had done.

First, though, she would talk to Leonardo. If he thought she was crazy, then fine, so be it. Rama doubted things could get much worse than they all ready were.

_"Sometimes, Ramiela, it is better to retreat than to continue to fight a losing battle. Sometimes, too, you must be willing to sacrifice yourself to protect others in the clan." _Sensei had told her that once as part of her training. She knew she must sacrifice now.

"What happened to you, Uncle Donatello? Have you achieved so much power and wealth that it has corrupted you?" she whispered sadly, almost wanting to cry, "You and that Raphael are not the people that I know and love."

She felt a single tear trace its way down her cheek. She brushed it aside quickly, not willing to give in to the despair that seemed determined to overwhelm her. She hung her head, shaking it sorrowfully, and then left her bedroom. She made her way downstairs and into the main hallway while looking out towards the pool. That was when she saw Leo sitting in one of the patio chairs. He was alone for the moment and she decided it was time.

The sliding door was open so she stepped silently outside. Yet, despite moving ninja quiet, before she even closed the gap, he turned and smiled at her. He had detected her easily just as her Sensei could.

"Good morning Ramiela" Leo greeted her calmly. He watched her surprise reaction from his acknowledging her presence. It was very subtle but he caught it easily enough.

The conditioned response being drawn from her, Ramiela bowed to him again as she gave him the polite and highly respectful greeting. Then, once more, she focused on her task. "If you are not busy at the moment I would like to talk to you privately. You are the only one I think I can trust with what I have to say." Ramiela pleaded.

Leo's eyes widened just a little at the sound of her request. His smile grew just a bit and nodded; perhaps she was finally willing to give some answers to who she was and where she came from. After the grilling he endured from the night before, Leo knew how upset Don was, believing that Mike and he were somehow in this together. Leo was eagerly looking forward to clearing up the mystery of Ramiela himself. He now sensed her inner turmoil and a deep aching in her heart and soul, which made him wonder even more about her. True, Ramiela acted as if she knew him and knew him well. Yet, Don had not been willing to accept Leo's denials of this fact any more than he accepted Mike's story. Where had she learned about the traditional bow of respect anyway? Leo had a feeling Ramiela was willing to answer. An air of defeat hung about her as if she had been beaten into submission. The fact that she seemed to think he was her sensei might actually work to their advantage. Leo wasn't against using that, but he wanted to see what she would willingly supply him first. 

"You seem greatly troubled, Ramiela, but I can't help you until I know what is wrong. Come why don't you join me for a walk in the woods and we will talk." Leo invited her.

The girl felt grateful for his understanding, willingly falling into step by his side. Rama felt a connection to him, though she was fully aware this Leo was not her real sensei. Yet, his physical presence bolstered her confidence to do what she must and strengthened her resolve to see it through just the same. The fact that he had honored her bow of respect with the correct phrasing and a like bow in kind certainly didn't hurt.

"What sort of martial arts do you do? Don mentioned that Mike had a dojo," Rama asked looking into his face earnestly as the two of them walked towards the forest.

Sensing her sincerity and something familiar with the way she asked her question, he replied, "We practice ninjitsu." In that moment, he knew she would have to learn some of it to fit into their home, so he saw no need to keep this information from her. He first sensed and then saw Ramiela's eyes widen slightly at his response and heard her suck in a tiny breath of air. She moved ahead of him to open the gate, gesturing him through with a short bow as a sign of courtesy and respect.

"I wondered about that, but I wasn't too sure." Rama muttered and then shook her head in amazement as she took in the tall trees that now surrounded them. She felt suddenly dwarfed and insignificant by these giants. Still she had a mission to complete and it was imperative that she not allow herself to become distracted by the scenery.

"How about you, Ramiela? You must study some martial arts yourself, for I seem to have struck a chord with you." Leo inquired

Sensing a common bond and sincerity in Leo that she had failed to discern with the others, she declared boldly, "I have been trained in ninjitsu since I was around three years old. I am a _kunoichi._" she raised her head, a touch of pride to her voice as she responded to his gentle question.

"Who trained you in ninjitsu? Are you able to tell me that much?" Leo inquired delicately.

"I can. I just don't know if you will believe me or not. It is something that is rather hard to fathom and, though I have tried, I haven't figured it all out myself yet." Rama confessed as she looked at him earnestly. She caught his gaze and it was quite apparent that Leo just might be trusted. He just might believe her! They continued to walk deeper into the forest, slowly leaving the estate behind while getting swallowed up by the peace and tranquility of the woods.

Leo sensed that she did indeed want to tell him, but he felt a disturbance in Ramiela that caused her to be slightly hesitant about it.

"Are you afraid that I wouldn't accept it, that I might think you're a 'little off your rocker?" Leo suggested arching his eye ridges and allowing a small smile to crease his face. Even with the darkening shadows of the forest, Ramiela could see amusement in his eyes, although it wasn't of the condescending nature. He was truly interested but only wanted to disarm her nervousness a little.

"It is very strange and you might truly believe that I am certified insane when I tell you. I have tried to reach my family through my meditative skills but they seem to be beyond my reach." Rama answered him, shrugging a little "I'm not sure how to begin, though."

She sighed as they walked along the forest floor. She noticed the squirrels running up the sides of the monstrous trees and saw the scrub jays flitting from branch to branch, calling out to one another. A gentle wind crossed her path, blowing the few errant wisps of her hair that refused containment; bringing with it the smell of the ocean. She was rather enjoying the forest for the moment, a direct contrast to the meager offering of Central Park or even the farm. Still, she had her work to do and so ignored the distractions.

Leo nodded in understanding about her hesitancy. He made a decision to tell her something that might encourage her to open up to him, "Ramiela, I myself have had things happen in my life that some would say couldn't be true and those same people might think me insane for thinking it." Leo looked at the girl who followed him silently through the woods. He knew that leaves and twigs littered the forest floor, but she made not a sound as she walked along, not even when she stepped on the occasional stick that should have snapped under her weight. Yes, she could in deed move silently, just as a trained ninja should. He continued, "For instance, I once had a powerful enemy spirit that possessed my body."

Ramiela had heard of such things happening in books and movies but not to real people and yet she didn't doubt Leonardo's words. His sincerity was coming through to her loud and clear.

"Was it Shredder?" Rama asked quickly. She herself had never known Shredder other than from stories of him since Sensei had killed him before she was born.

Leo turned his head quickly and looked at Ramiela, quite startled. He studied this kunoichi next to him and reached out with his senses to determine if someone had already told her. Surely, none of his family members had informed Ramiela of their clan history. Where she wasn't yet accepting of them, they would hold off telling her anything about them until such time that she did. Yet, how did she know about Oruku Saki when she was such a stranger to all of them? "Yes, but how did you…" Leo wondered.

Rama bowed her head "I'm from somewhere else, Leonardo. I'm not exactly sure where it is in relation to where I am now, but it is a place very much like this, I think." Rama hesitated and heaved a sigh, "Perhaps it is some sort of parallel world where some things hold true in both places while other facts are different." She offered. 

"Please, go on. Ramiela" Leo urged kindly. He walked along beside her, amazed by the similarities that were slowly were being shown by this intriguing mutant next to him.

"Whatever the truth is, I know I do not belong in this world at all. Where I am from, you and your brothers all have younger twins. They are my family. Your twin has been my sensei for as long as I can remember." Rama explained slowly keeping her instincts alert. If she thought for one moment that Leonardo was not keeping an open mind or doubted her words, she would stop. However, she didn't sense any of that. "We have to hide away from people, so we live under New York City in the sewers. There is a rival ninja clan called the Foot. Oroku Saki, known as the Shredder, once led the Foot. However, when he died a cruel man known as Sekora Yukio replaced him. He is determined to destroy our entire family."

Leo sensed the truth in her words "What about your family - your clan?"

"I was born when my father was only seventeen. He is Mike's twin, Michaelangelo. Dad pretty much raised me on his own because my mom left when I was a baby." Rama then headed into each of her family members. Starting with her dad and uncles, she told Leo about the colored bandannas that they wore and their preferred weapons that they kept on them or nearby in case of an invasion. She went as far as to describe their personality to some extent. When she came to her Uncle Raphael and how he was sort of the rebel in the family, Leo couldn't help but chuckle just a little.

"Is that funny?" Rama asked, puzzled by Leo's expression.

"Well, yes in a way it is. You see, your Uncle Raphael and my brother Raph have a lot in common! However, I don't mean to interrupt you. Please, continue, Ramiela!"

Rama was not too thrilled to know that, of course, as she had pretty much decided that Raph of this world didn't have anything in common with her Uncle Raphael in her world. To think that they did would upend the harsh feelings she currently felt towards him. Still, what she sensed from the one walking next to her told her that he was as honest as the day was long. She continued her description of her family.

Leo listened in amazement. She told him things he knew about that connected his own past to her world. He probed carefully sensing nothing but Ramiela's sincerity. Either she was telling him the truth, or it was the truth as far as she knew it to be. Leo was quite aware that those who were touched in the head, who were mentally unstable, often believed their words to be true no matter how wrong they were. Yet with what Rama was telling him, Leo found the similarities too odd to ignore. He was convinced that it was far more than just mere coincidence.

Rama then went on to explain about her uncles' wives and children. "Uncle Raphael has been talking about setting up a separate home for himself and his family since we are sort of running short of space in our lair." Rama grinned a bit. "Sara pretty much keeps him in line, too!"

Leo nodded in understanding, "Yes, it was the same between Raph and Rahab when they were married. She still pretty much manages things with him!" He chuckled a little at the similarities. Then, he became somewhat more serious. Leo stopped and Ramiela followed suit. He turned to her, assessing her just a little and sensing that her attitude had improved considerably. She was acting more relaxed and confident, a definite upswing from the evening before.

"Ramiela, how did you think you got from there to here?" Leo finally asked.

"That is what I am not sure of" Rama groaned, "You see, I was on patrol when six of the Elite happened upon me. I managed to kill one and badly wounded another. There was a thunderstorm going on and I was using my meditative skills to help me fight." Rama replied. The memory of that night was still fresh on her mind, "I was eventually disarmed of my weapons and belt and I thought for sure they were going to kill me. I was terrified about it, not that I was showing it or giving in to it or anything, but I was." Rama stopped and bit her lip for a moment as she fought for emotional control. "I really thought I was going to die and I thought very hard about being home and with my family and then this lighting bolt almost hit me."

"And what happened next?" Leo asked curiously. He was quite intrigued with Rama's account, his eyes never leaving the expressive face of the girl as she told her story. His senses tuned in to every nuance that Ramiela expressed, from her coloring, to her pupil dilation, and even the inflections in her voice. All of these would tell him one way or another if she were making it up.

"Well, there was this strong electrical current in the air but I passed it off as part of the storm. Then, right after the lightening strike, as my desire to be home intensified and the electrical storm became worse, I felt like I was moving away from the battle. The next thing I knew I was in the New York of this world." She paused and glanced at him a little worriedly "Do you believe any of this?" and then she added almost defensively, "Or, do you think I'm nuts?" Rama gulped just a little, but stood firm in her determination that it was how it happened.

"No, Ramiela, I do not think you're nuts." Leo replied warmly and then cupped her chin with his right hand, saying, "You have given me extensive detail about your home and family life. Also, you have told me the ages of children, including names, birthdays, family relationships, and personalities.

You have mentioned things about your clan history that mirrors our own clans' past but there are differences as well." Leo paused, thinking about how she had mentioned her family having kids with humans. He then declared, "You are either a very skilled liar or you are telling the truth. If you have lied I haven't sensed it, Ramiela, nor am I able to think of one reason that would make the lie worthy of telling in the first place."

Rama heaved a sigh of relief and saw Leo smile at her "It also explains a great deal about your behavior towards me. Come to think of it I don't think you told me which weapons you prefer."

Ramiela smiled, finally feeling accepted and understood, "I am proficient in all ninja weapons and can handle any of them with skill. However, I prefer to carry both double katanas and sais with me. I also wear an aqua colored bandanna."

"Why two weapons Ramiela when one might suffice?" Leo wondered. He and his brothers all used to carry shurikan stars in addition to their preferred weapons, but none of them ever doubled up on the major equipment.

Ramiela grinned a bit and laughed, "You know, even my sensei never bothered to ask me that, he just kept claiming it wasn't orthodox." She looked away in thought and then glanced back at Leo, "It is my way of honoring and respecting the two uncles who have had the biggest impact on my life." she replied.

"The sais for Raphael and the katanas for your sensei; I see." Leo summarized. "You told me that you have benefited from your Master's training but you haven't told me who the Master is."

"Master Splinter, he was once an ordinary pet rat of a Japanese man named Hamato Yoshi." Rama replied. Up to now, she had been careful about that, as she didn't want to mention Splinter until she was sure that Leonardo was at least accepting her story as possibly true.

Leo had been expecting this so he was glad his guard was up and yet still hearing the name was a shock to him after all this time. He heard the reverent tone Ramiela had in her voice as she spoke of the Master. Leo knew, then, that she both loved and respected him highly. He swallowed back his own emotion as he thought about his father, realizing that for Rama, the Master was still alive. A part of his being wanted desperately to know how to get back to Rama's world if only to see Splinter one last time. Yet he knew that if it were possible and if there was a way, it would and should be Ramiela to return and not himself.

"He is growing old and his mind is not what it had once been but he is still able to give wisdom if one is patient. He has trained me in many of the mental aspects of ninjitsu." Rama had felt Leo's emotions surge at the mention of her Master's name. This was her first hint that Leonardo knew who she was talking about, but if he were like sensei, he would be protective of the Master, too. She could discern little else from him as he had quickly shielded off her probing mind. Not wanting to be rude, Ramiela chose to accept his gentle rebuff and ceased her silent inquiry.

"Sometimes," she mused, "I think he was only waiting for me to be old enough to give me these lessons before giving in to his age. For you see I am the future Jonin of our clan, I am to take Sensei's place when I am old enough and when he is too old to do so." Rama confessed, all the while keeping her eyes on Leo's gaze.

Two years ago, she had not wanted the burden or honor that came with it but times had changed and she had accepted her future now. What other life could she have; surely not that of a wife and mother. Gabby was lucky to have that option and for a moment Rama envied her. She decided it was time to go for broke "I do not know if the Master is in this world or not but if he is he might be the only one capable of getting me home."

"What if it isn't possible Ramiela?" Leo suggested.

Rama raised her head a hard stern look on her face "To a ninja nothing is impossible and I will not stay here where I am treated with as little respect as what was given me in the lab."

Leo blinked, almost in disbelief, "Lab? What lab Ramiela?" He was shocked. There was a time decades ago when Splinter warned all of them of the possibility of ending up in a lab if humans ever discovered them. Yet, as it turned out, humans discovering them had been their salvation. 

"When I was thirteen I was captured and spent a month in a lab in Connecticut being studied by a group of scientist. I was treated no better than a dumb animal with no rights or say in what happened to them." Rama's voice choked up a bit as she spat out the words, but then she found her resolve and told Leo about the long month in captivity where she had been tortured almost every day. She chose not to leave out how these same scientists probed, poked, and prodded her all in the name of science. She lived in terror, unable to break free and having to submit or be hurt as a result if she didn't cooperate. "When they found out I was as intelligent as a human they were going force me to sign my rights away so they could continue studying me. They also planned on breeding me so they would have others to study, too." Rama sniffed back her emotions. The very recounting of her ordeal almost brought back the experience itself, but telling it to this one so eager to believe her was turning out to be quite therapeutic.

Leo gasped, sickened by her words. As an adult, Gabby had been raped, which had been bad enough on the girl. but for Ramiela to be subjected to the same threat at the age of thirteen was a thought he didn't even want to contemplate.

Once Ramiela regained her self-control, she continued, "There was one scientist, an animal behaviorist, named Catherine. She didn't agree with the others and helped me escape one night, risking everything and throwing away her career by doing so." Rama fought to stay calm "The head of the lab wasn't happy about losing his prize specimen and with the help of some foot soldiers who were working without sanction he managed to capture me, again, and Catherine as well."

Leo sensed her fear that came with these memories. This experience of Ramiela's was the sort of thing they had all lived in fear of once. To think that she lived it and had to endure it was painful to him and filled him with compassion for her.

"They pumped me full of truth serum and tortured me into betraying my clan" Rama began to sob quietly, now, the memory of it too much for her to contain, "T-they branded me with a tattoo and placed a microchip and tracking device into my other arm so they would never lose me again."

Despite her crying, there was a seething anger that Leo sensed from her, deep and biting, a scaring of her soul that exacted a price with the loss of her innocence. For a moment, he felt a rage build up inside him to even think that any human would or could do something as heinous as abusing another sentient creature. In this world of his, anyone who would do that would find the cutting edge of his sword – regardless of Don's insistence of 'playing by the rules' as far as humans were concerned. Although he agreed with his brother on that count, there were exceptions – many of which Rahab herself had witnessed.

Rama reached up and wiped the tears from her face, fighting to calm herself, "Uncle Donatello managed to remove all of them. It was only much later that Catherine told me David had falsified the tattoo so it would seem I had been research animal a better part of my life." She paused and then took some deep breaths. She then smiled a little, "Catherine later married my dad. She has one son, my half brother, Tyler, and she is due soon with their second child."

"Ramiela, surely you are treated better here then in the lab" Leo protested defensively. He could not believe that for one minute anyone from his family would be so callous.

"No, I have _not_! They have drugged me and then lied to me. I was deceived and taken against my will. I'm constantly watched and told to answer all their questions honestly while my opinions do not matter." Rama ticked off the similarities, her anger rising as she did so, "They call me what they choose and don't even respect me enough to call me by my full name. They try to force the truth from me, making me betray my clan to them one way or another." Rama snorted, "Yet, in their hypocrisy, they will not even tell me the truth. Oh, to be sure, I have a nice room and I am fed well but I am STILL a prisoner no matter what THEY try to call it." Now, anger replaced her tears, Rama's jaw set in a hard firm line as she bristled in her rage.

Realizing the damage that was done to her, Leo winced slightly at Rama's words. Ramiela was viewing them as her enemies and not as friends. What had his family done to her? He seethed inwardly as he listened further to Ramiela's rants.

Rama looked him in the eye "I tell you this, their tactics are the same. I understood their motive in the beginning was concern for my health but how can they help me if they don't even consult with me? What I want doesn't matter to them." Rama spoke bitterly. "So I will give in to these _hypocritical cowards_ who refuse to fight an honourable battle. I will obey their commands and whims as I obeyed the scientist - because I have no other path to take."

"Ramiela …" Leo began to say but he found himself interrupted as the steamroll that represented Rama's mounting wrath gained momentum.

Seething with the venom of a viper, she continued, her voice rising considerably, "They will _never_ have my honour, respect or trust through such tactics and I will gladly leave this place behind when the opportunity presents itself. For as beautiful as Mike's home is, those who inhabit it are poison. I want to return to the sewers, to those who grant me the respect, truth and honor that I grant them in kind."

Leo gave her a pained concerned look. Don's tactics had woken old memories and fears in this ninja, though he was probably unaware of it. Knowing the kind of training she probably had, he wondered why she would even submit to Don now if she truly believed him to be as dangerous as she was saying. Poisoned, as she put it and in other words, Don was a threat and a danger to her.

"Why do it then Ramiela?" Leo asked, almost begging.

"Don said if I didn't Mike would be the one to suffer. They believe he is my father, though he isn't, no matter what proof they might have that says otherwise. He is innocent and I won't let Don do it!" She snapped with fury in her face "But as soon as I can I will leave here. Don Tello desperately needs to learn that nothing forced can be happy; it can only breed hatred and ugliness." Rama turned her pleading eyes on Leo, changing the subject just a little, "Yet, the Master might be the key for me to return home."

Leo pained to see such hope in such a desperate face as Ramiela had now. He shook his head, "Ramiela I promise to help you but we might need everyone's help to do so. That means we have to clear up this misunderstanding that has grown between you and the rest of my family." Leo refrained for the moment from telling her about Splinter's passing. He had a feeling it would be a harsh blow to her, especially where she believed Splinter might be her only hope.

He sighed wistfully and thought about how she surveyed what Mike's place offered her. Surrounded by what could only be a dream come true, yet, because of the way she was treated, if given a chance, she would return to a life in the sewers over staying here. It was going be a long road to regaining her trust. Of course, everything they do from now on might be suspect to her for a time. Yet perhaps once they prove to her that they honor the same values she did at heart, maybe she would hopefully relax and accept them as friends instead of enemies. Leo understood her thinking, though. Ramiela was a trained kunoichi and a future Jonin of her clan. Her training told her that their actions were suspect no matter what words they used. Therefore, it was easy to assume that their true intent would also be suspect as well. Don had unknowingly picked the worst course he could have taken with her and now they needed to do some damage control - and quickly, for everyone's sake.

_"Looks like a family meeting post haste to clear this disaster up. We need to get everyone working towards the same goal!"_ Leo mused silently to himself. Yet, as he evaluated Ramiela's raging mood, he knew without a doubt that working towards the same goal was going to be a challenge beyond what any of them had ever faced at clan level – even more so than what they went through with Gabby!

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**_RAMICA _**_- _

_Vestquex: Yes Rama does indeed miss her own family especially with how different these turtles seem to be acting towards her as opposed to how her own family treats her. What Rama is about to do about it well I think you got a hint in this chapter and stay tuned for more._

**_REINBEAUCHASER:_**

_VESTQUEX: Ah, I can only imagine seeing people that are identical physically to your own family, yet be so not like them. Leave to Rama to take advantage of certain situations, though! Yes, everyone will find out how far she can milk an issue! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	15. Judge Ramiela Holds Court

_DISCLAIMER: Same music, same dance…don't own 'em.  Same music, same dance, we do own everything else, though!  Read and review at your leisure.  Be blessed._

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Chapter 15 – Judge Ramiela Holds Court!

As they returned to the house, Leo gave Ramiela a warm reassuring smile, saying, "I'm going to tell my brothers what you have just told me." In that moment, he didn't miss the slight panicked and uncertain look that came into her eyes with his words.  He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Please trust me, Ramiela.  On my word of honor I will not lie to you or betray you, but _they_ need to know the truth so we can work things out." Leo vowed, "Give me leave to tell them what you have just shared with me, okay? I will talk to them first then you can come when we send for you." he explained.

Rama nodded hesitantly, "All right … you can tell them. However, I'm not too comfortable with it because I don't want to betray my clan.  You must understand that."

"I do understand, but I assure you that you aren't." Leo begged, "When we call for you to join us, be the kunoichi you are and have no fear of voicing your opinions before the others."

"Okay." Ramiela agreed haltingly.  Leo was taking charge as she had hoped he would, yet she still uncertain if she could trust him.  Although she desperately wanted and needed to, she felt some residual distrust of the family as a whole.  She did feel better after confiding in Leo, however, and at the very least, he hadn't accused her of lying or being insane.  Her confidence seemed to have improved quite a bit even with that.

"I promise that after the meeting, you will start to feel less like a prisoner here.  We will also do what we can to get you home again." He assured her.

"That is all I want" Ramiela insisted firmly, a small smile forming on her expectant face.  Her hopes rose just a little at hearing how willingly Leo wanted to assist her.  A small flicker of warmth like what she felt towards her sensei at home began to grow within.  It helped considerably that Leo had not disappointed her so far.  Then again, Don and the others seemed to have been on the up and up in the beginning as well.  Maybe this was how they coerced people.  Getting them all comfy and cozy and then – wham – the next thing that happens their world goes topsy turvey.  Yet, she could not sense any deceit at all in Leo and it was because of this that allowed her to anticipate his sincerity.  If only she had been able to apply her ninja-senses back in New York in Don's penthouse.  Yet, at that time, she was clueless to who he was until Mike arrived and even then she was still confused.  There hadn't been a good time to do it until she found herself on Don's jet, but her anger at their deceit crowded out anything that she might have picked up from them anyway.  Maybe Leo was right and all of this was a misunderstanding.  Still, it gnawed at Rama the way they had manipulated her!

However, the next words that Leo said gave her a start, "Yet, if you can't get home, Ramiela, I assure you that you will always have a place here with us."

Rama's eyes went slightly wide and she gave a quick negative shake of her head.  She didn't even want to _think_ of not getting home.  For her it wasn't an option at all.  "No, I HAVE to get home; there can't be any compromises on that issue.  I need to return, that's all there is to it!"  She felt a subtle bit of fear rise deep within her, wondering if maybe Leo was giving her a veiled truth as if trying to soften the 'blow' somehow.  Rama would never be able to live in this world, as tempting as it was, even if Don and the others made restitution with her.  Yet, she would have to trust that Leo would at least try.  With that, she resigned herself to let matters rest for the time being.

"Like I said, we will try and that's all we can do, Ramiela." Leo cupped his hand once more under her chin and gently rubbed one side of it affectionately with his thumb. "Now, I think it's best if you go on upstairs to your room until I call for you, okay?"

She nodded in understanding and then stepped back away from him, bowing low. Rama then said to him, "Arigato, Leo". 

He bowed in kind and watched as she turned and silently entered the house, stepping back up the stairs towards her room. Leo then went inside to rouse his brothers so they could meet in the dojo to resolve the conflict between them and Ramiela.

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All four of them stood stoic and serious in the middle of the dojo.  All but one of them had a displeased expression on their faces. 

Don gave Leo a hard look. "Are you going to now tell us how Ramiela knows you?" he inquired testily.  He had his arms crossed in front of him and his stance was wide and determined.  Don was still angry with the girl for refusing to cooperate.  He was at a complete loss why she even knew his brother well enough to give him the bow of respect as she did the night before.  Usually, Don refrained from confrontations if he could. Yet, all the 'lies' and lack of cooperation thus far had tested his patience considerably.

Mike glanced towards Leonardo, as well, curious about Don's words.  He would be truly shocked if Leo confirmed his knowledge of the girl.  If that became the case, then it was a done deal.  Not only was his marriage toast, but it would have been obvious to him that at one point, nineteen years earlier, someone had drugged him up pretty good.  That would be the only way to explain his ignorance of intimacy with someone other than with his wife.

Much to his relief, however, Leo came to Mike's rescue!

"No but I am going tell you what Ramiela told me earlier. Your usual tactics, Don, have reminded her of a people and of a time that she remembers with hatred. Her association with that time and what you have done to her is going be hard to break" Leo calmly replied.

Don glanced at his older brother with his eyes narrowing, "What are you saying…"

Leo cut him off gently with a wave of his hand, "When I have told you everything, I believe you will understand.  Just know that Ramiela doesn't have any respect for people who _drug_ her, _lie_ to her or for that matter use _force_ on her to do things she doesn't want to do."

"We've all ready gathered that Leo." Don muttered impatiently, shifting his position in irritation.

Raph spoke up next, definitely out of turn, but not being able to contain his displeasure of her, "She's a brat Leo and she needs a good spanking, that's what Rama needs" he grouched irritably.  He cracked his knuckles in agitation, the memory of Rama's words against his granddaughter fresh on his mind.  Most things he could ignore and look the other way; he had learned long ago to pick his battles carefully.  Yet, for Rama to imply what she did about Mindy was one conflict he would not ignore.  She was a guest in Mike's house, yet she had so far behaved as an ingrate.

"Funny, Raph, I'd call her a displaced kunoichi who sees herself amongst enemies!" Leo retorted crisply, "If you had some of the experiences she's had to deal with, then maybe you'd realize why she puts a great deal of importance on her name _and_ - who may call her by it." Leo paused and, then, one at a time he glanced at all three of his brothers, saying in precise tones, "Ramiela is a trained kunoichi and she is the future Jonin of her clan.  You have by your actions toward her, challenged Ramiela to do battle and she has accepted that challenge. It is time, dear brothers, to now talk peace."

For a moment, the other three were taken aback as they heard Leo's description of Rama being a kunoichi.  This was not expected information.

After allowing his words to digest for a moment, Leo then filled them in on Ramiela's past and exactly who she was.  He told them everything that she had told him, including her views of the _'hypocritical cowards'_ she was dealing with.  He shared how she viewed Mike's place as _poisonous_. He told them about her experience in her world with the lab in Connecticut and the long month she endured at the hands of the scientists.  He told them how Ramiela had seen the comparison between them and Don's tactics.  Leo made sure his brothers understood that even though the scientists had learned of her intelligence, they still intended to keep her as a lab animal and even planned on breeding her when she came into season.

Don's stance relaxed noticeably during Leo's oration, his arms going limp along his sides in defeat.  He sighed deeply and shook his head, clearly appalled to learn what the girl had suffered through, even after her escape from the lab.  Crushed to think that Ramiela had found similar tactics in him that compared her current treatment with that awful time, he wondered how he could have been so blind.  Yet, Don could not deny the fact that he hadn't consulted with her about his plans to bring her to Mike's home.  He never considered giving her a chance to understand his reasons or to listen to her opinions.  He was so enthralled that another reptilian mutant existed and was so intrigued with finding out about her past that his scientific mind took over.  How could he have been so incredibly blind and narrow-minded?  Understanding her situation more clearly now and even more so the depth to his own transgressions against her, Don sighed, "If she is indeed kunoichi as you say, Leo, then she can not be bought or intimidated."

"A true ninja never cows to such treatment and to a ninja, money is nothing compared to honor." Leo sniffed in disgust, "You could offer her your entire fortune, Don, and if she is all that I expect her to be, she'd throw it right back into your face."

"Why didn't she just tell us this, though?  I mean, Leo, she had ample opportunity to share this with me after her memory returned.  We talked with her; Gaele talked with her…but nothing was ever mentioned or sensed." Don exclaimed, "Other than her ability to close down her emotions and with her injuries…"

"She didn't talk to you because she was confused." Leo interrupted and then explained, "With her memory returning and facing people so much like her own family, she didn't even know if it was safe to talk to you right then."  He paused for a moment to let his words sink in and then he declared, "When you started making plans on her behalf without her knowledge and then drugging her to get her on the jet, Ramiela probably felt at that point that you were more of an enemy than a friend.  She wouldn't risk exposing her family like that anyway.  As far as she was concerned, you were not to be trusted!"

Don shook his head and mused as he reflected on how he had botched handling Ramiela, "You're right, Leo.  We _didn't_ give her any good reason to trust us, not one!" Don sighed as he realized how useless his regular tactics were when dealing with a kunoichi.  Understanding, now, that she was a trained ninja put everything into perspective, "Even force wouldn't have worked on her." He lamented, "She might have given in to it but if she ever felt we had compromised her honor, she would have been angrier with us more than before!"

Leo nodded, realizing that Don was starting to understand.  He also realized that his brother's tactics in handling difficult persuasions could be related to how Don handled his worldly affairs.  Don had four ways in which he dealt with his adversaries. 

Way number one was discourse or to have the problem talked out.  He knew from their heated discussion the night before that Don had tried to talk with Ramiela, but without success. 

The second way, if the first didn't work, was to buy-out the problem person.  Mike's place with all that it afforded her was the 'gift' for compliance that Don had given to Rama. 

Then, if that failed, the third was intimidation and threats.  Don had threatened Rama with no dinner and then later on made her sit in the living room until she would confess to whatever it was about her that she was keeping from them.  Even then, when Don told Leo this, he had been somewhat suspicious and not too thrilled with his brother's tactics.  Yet, as a ninja himself, he knew that there were times where coercion was the only way to extract information.

However, if it came to way number four, Raph was usually sent in to do the honors!  Considering all that Don had told him the evening prior regarding Ramiela, he suggested to him, "If you want to send Raph in to clean things up with her like you did in Russia, do wait until Ramiela is fully recovered because - I'd like to see it.  There's a lot more to this girl than talk, you can trust me on that!" He locked eyes with Donatello, the intensity of his words clearly defined.

Don, however, was still grumbling over his ineptness of how he had managed the girl.  Nearly mumbling to himself and shaking his head in dismay, "We lost all trust from her by drugging and lying to her.  In Ramiela's eyes, we've done nothing to regain it, for she is ninja.  To Ramiela, honor and integrity is …" but then he was interrupted.

"Hold on, Leo," Raph exclaimed as he walked up to the two of them, "We don't even know if she is ninja, I mean other then her word for it, how can you be so sure?" Raph was very skeptical.  He wasn't quite ready to accept Leo's word based on what Ramiela had told him.  He knew that there were ways to determine if someone was ninja.  Before any of them accepted her story as truth, however, exercising those ways would have to be explored.

Leo turned to face his other brother, "She was very open with me Raph, even allowing me into her mind." Leo assured, "Trust me, my brother; she knew I was there and I knew she was permitting it.  She also walked the forest floor with me without making a sound or a track."

"Yeah, but, Leo, that whole parallel universe idea or whatever, just isn't all that easy to swallow" Raph growled. "I mean, good grief, twins of us and still living in the sewers and fighting the Foot?  It sounds a little too Twilight Zoney for me; too weird for it t'be the truth!" 

"Like when I was possessed by Shredder?  Was that hard to swallow, as well, Raph?" Leo countered angrily, "I lived with that for years; so I know things like it are possible!  Despite her recent confusion, Ramiela is very balanced mentally. Besides, she isn't sure of everything herself and admits she doesn't know or understand all of it."

"So?" Raph demanded. "What does that prove?"

"Well, people with mental problems would not tolerate a blank spot in their memory that could be used to debunk their beliefs.  Ramiela doesn't seem to care if she has all the answers.  She's told me she's searched for answers through meditation but has found none as yet." He looked into Raph's eyes and saw only his brother's skeptical expression in return.  He shook his head in dismay.  

In his youth, Raph went by what he could see and feel in the real world rather than be open to other ideas around him.   However, through the years he had changed; he had become more patient and accepting.  The only explanation, now, to explain Raph's refusal of Ramiela's word was he felt offended by what the girl had said the day before regarding Mindy.  His _'prove it to me'_ part of his personality was now coming into play.   Leo went on to explain, "There are also discrepancies between our two worlds, as well.  On Ramiela's world, the mutant turtles can successfully have children with humans.  Now, either the turtle DNA is different or the human DNA is more compatible." Leo further explained, "We know which of us is older, here in our world, yet Ramiela insists that her father and uncles are all thirty five years old in her world.  She said that they date their birth from when they were mutated, not having any idea who was hatched first originally."

Mike grinned, thankful that he was now off the hook, "Besides, Raph, it makes sense because I know I didn't fool around on Rahab.  Rama's mother was a human according to the test and we know it isn't possible for any of us to procreate with them – at least not in our world." He felt suddenly vindicated by the truth "It also explains why she acted as if she recognized us, like she's familiar with us even though we've never seen _her_ before."

"However, it was you Mike that brought her memory back but she became panicky when she realized something wasn't quite right." Don recalled and then went on to say, "Part of the clue for her that things weren't as they should be was when you didn't have your chuks with you." Don admitted, "We can safely say that not having our weapons of old on our person probably set her off all the way around!"  He remembered those days when it was prudent for all of them to have their weapons on them consistently, except of when they slept.  Even then, their equipment was within easy reach. 

Leo added, "It is also why she greets me as her Sensei.  It has been so ingrained in her from infancy to respect my _twin_ that she just transferred it to me." He then suggested, "We have to call a truce with Ramiela before she decides none of us can be trusted.  The longer we let this go the harder it's going to be!"

Don nodded and wondered to himself.  Now that he thought about it, how could he have missed the signs that had been so obvious?  Ramiela's talk of honor, how well she had hidden in the borrowed coat, her ability to overcome the drugs in her system and her skill at getting out of the restraining straps on the plane.  All of this proved her mental and physical training and should have clued each of them to the fact that this was not part of any ordinary martial arts training.  In fact, they should have recognized the signs just with the expediency with which she executed all of the above!  If he had only known, he would have done things differently but he hadn't known.  He only had his suspicions that she trained in some kind of self-defense.  Certainly, he had never suspected she would be ninja!  Who would have thought that?

Per Leo's request, Mike then went to fetch Ramiela.  Moments later, he brought her back to the dojo, although she seemed a bit hesitant at first.  She descended the stairs slowly taking each step deliberately and with purpose.  The moment she came into view of everyone, Leo noted how quickly she seemed aware of the area around her.  There was a subtle hint of interest from her as she spied the various ninja tools housed in the display case beyond stairs where she first entered the room.  However, she ignored them for the moment and confidently walked to the center of the floor where they were all at, bowing low before Leo.  She greeting him with her customary show of respect, "Ohayo gozaimasu yusei na joi no, Leonardo-san." and then focused her attention on him alone.  However, it was perfectly clear that she was alert to the others who were only a few steps away.

Earlier, Ramiela had spent the time up in her room meditating so she would be prepared.  She recalled Leo had told her from their talk to act the kunoichi she was.  She decided since she was more than that - for she was to be Jonin one day - she would if she could use all of her training to her advantage in the meeting.

"Relax, Kunoichi." Leo informed her calmly.  He could sense anxiety and wrath spill off of her and it was certain the others could, as well.  However, he hoped that she would soon discover that there wouldn't be any reason for her to feel this way.

She rose from her bow, standing with her head raised and now a calm and almost calculating look on her face.  The others felt it almost in the next moment, too.  Between her meditation and now the assurance that she felt from Leo, Ramiela's own confidence bolstered.

Raph snorted, still not convinced and unwilling to go on Leo's word alone, "We still have no proof she is a ninja, Leo."

"I have no proof that you are one either." Rama snapped out, giving him a calm but baleful glare, "And you have acted with little honor or respect, for that matter, so I offer none to you."

"Yeah, well you don't have any from us either" Raph replied sharply, equalizing her expression with one of his own. 

"I have none for the Foot and their ways and I would give none to Yukio were I in his home! Instead I would **_run him through_** if I got a chance to." Rama said haughtily with a sneer on her lips.  Her gaze fixed on the turtle in question, not wavering in the least bit.

Leo smiled inwardly at her response.  Simply put, she was saying 'you are my enemy and you don't deserve any of my respect'. "Perhaps, Ramiela, you can do something to dispel some of Raph's doubts about you?  Ninja can travel at very quick speeds when they need to.  Here, we call it _going ninja_." Leo stated, "Can you _go ninja_ to the far left corner of the room?"

Rama smiled confidently.  In about two seconds, she stood in the far corner where Leo had asked her to go.  However, she apologized, "I'm afraid I am a little slow today; I'm still kind of sore."  Her smile widened ever so slightly.

Raph gaped in amazement.  She had _gone ninja_ just as quick as they could and yet she claimed to be slow about it.  He was dumbfounded.

"Come back then, Ramiela, but you can take…" Leo began, yet before he could tell her to do it at her own pace, she had returned to stand before him and the others once again.

Leo smiled approvingly, "That was nicely done!  Now, remember, Ramiela, we have asked you here so we can make peace with you and while you may have good reason to be suspicious of our intentions, we can only get you home if we work together."

"Hai, you are right." she admitted. She then turned and looked at Raph.  She suddenly felt a deep ache in her own heart. She had never had a cross word with her Uncle Raphael before, although she could recall one time when he had actually yelled at her.  That was when he caught her topside playing with her friend Jessie when she was just a child. Uncle Raphael had actually kicked her butt all the way home that day while verbally giving her what for.  Thinking about him, she also knew that it wasn't easy for her own uncle to admit when he was wrong.  Perhaps it was the same for his twin here in this world.  Much as he had wronged her, she knew she had wronged him, as well.  If this Raph held to a grudge the same way as her uncle could, then she would be as guilty if she didn't offer him an apology, too.

Leo had a feeling that she was going apologize to Raph for their argument from the night before.  Ramiela had told him about that incident as well when she was describing her experiences while they were still in the forest.  Though she felt that this Raph was just as accountable in tricking her, she seemed not to be holding it against him presently. He silently encouraged her, telling her mentally that this was the way to reach Raph. 

With that thought in mind and knowing what she had to do, Rama turned towards him and bowed low, "I know I have wronged you and I could make excuses and justify it in many ways, but that still will not ease your pain." She swallowed just a little, continuing, "Last night you accused me of having something against your granddaughter, Mindy. In my anger at you I admit that I said some things I should not have and insulted both you and your granddaughter." Rama admitted humbly "You thought you knew what I was thinking.  I suppose my thoughts did run that way, for I was comparing Mindy to the hybrid children of _my _own clan."

Raph nodded and allowed a small smile, recognizing her regret.  "Leo said you come from a large family." Raph remarked casually.  He was now sensing sincerity from her and something else – honor and integrity.  Her calm and in-control demeanor was showing Raphael that she was as Leo described her to be.  The more he 'read her', the more he slowly began to accept the girl as a kunoichi.

"Yes, there are many children in our clan. I was comparing your granddaughter with those children and while I saw some of Gabrielle in Mindy, I do not see any thing of Seth. Usually it is easy to see the attributes of both father and mother – especially with such stark differences." Rama stated, "I'm not trying to justify my thoughts but to just explain them to you. I thought that maybe something had gone wrong with her, sort of a further mutation.  I have heard of things like that happening." Rama paused and then shrugged, "That what I was really thinking. Perhaps, for a brief moment, I saw only the differences and later, in anger, made the comment I did to you.  It was uncalled for, however." She confessed, "Mindy is still a very beautiful and intelligent child and I should have apologized to you long before now.  I am truly sorry for the offense."  With that, Ramiela bowed before him in submission, expressing, "Dozo yurusu shitsurei na no ho e anatatachi no taitei no koki kazoku, Raphael-san."

A small smile played over Raph's face "No problem, Rama."  He was mildly impressed with this sudden change in the girl's attitude and that she chose Japanese to express it.  He rather liked it, in fact.

Leo cringed and wondered what the girl would do next.  No one else caught the offense, however, but Ramiela's next comment educated all of them just the same.

She bristled and shot Raph a dark withering look, causing his smile to wane as a result.  In short, clipped tones she told him, "I'll make you a deal.  If you are honorable, you will keep your word." The look she gave to Raph said clearly that she thought he wasn't capable of such a thing.  At first, he tightened his expression as if offended once again.  Yet, Rama continued, explaining, "If you can call me what you want, then I can call you what I want. Respect _must_ go both ways after all."  She waited for her words to find merit.  Then, she reminded him "Call me Ramiela until I give you leave to do otherwise and I will only call you Raph or Raphael. Deal?"

"What's the big difference?" Raph snapped stubbornly.  He was totally confused.

"Well, I'm sure you don't want to be called an idiot and I don't wish to be called a male sheep.  That is, after all, what a ram is called." Rama pointed out, continuing, her expression hard and serious, "One learns how important a name is when one becomes an object.  For a month out of my life, I was A23, no name, just a stupid number, that's it!   Trust me in this; there is great power in both words and names." Rama replied succinctly.

Leo nodded in approval.  She hadn't become angry nor did she yell.  Yes, he did sense her resentment with the name Rama, but the girl had pointed out why she felt Raph's use of it was inappropriate.

Raph, also realizing the change in her demeanor and sighed, "You've got yourself a deal, Ramiela" He bowed to her in friendship.  She returned the gesture, finally coming to terms.

Leo nodded in satisfaction.  A true leader in training, she was willing to take the lead by offering a compromise where necessary, but he could tell she was working towards her main goal of getting home. Mollified by her apology and her agreement not to call him a baka, Raph finally seemed at ease.  However, he did have one question for her.

"How come you were getting so panicky with Riahna last night, though?" he asked, recalling the emotions that had come from her then.

"Too many memories of the lab were getting dredged up." Rama sighed and then licked her lips thoughtfully, "It is now hard for me to accept any stranger touching me or holding me in a restrictive fashion. I knew Riahna was only accepting me in her own way but I also knew I couldn't push her from me, either." she admitted reluctantly "I just wished I could have diverted her to something equally as appealing."  She smiled sheepishly for a moment before returning to her serious expression once again.

Mike grinned "Oh, hey, that's easy, Ramiela.  Riahna loves flowers and tending to our garden. If that doesn't work, then one of us could free you if you need a break."  He offered with a chuckle.

Rama gave a huge grin. "Flowers?" she asked eagerly, her eyes shining brightly.

"Oh yeah, Rahab and Riahna have quite the flower garden out back.  You probably didn't see much of it last night, though." Mike replied, "We had the lights off at the time.  Do you like flowers, too, Rama?"  Mike had reclaimed his happy attitude once again.  The truth to how Ramiela came into existence had become the balm to his injured reputation.

"I love them ever since I was a little girl.  However, I don't get them very often at home.  Sometimes I like looking at Central Park's garden or some of the rooftop gardens we know about." Rama sighed a bit wistfully "I especially like roses, but I don't get very many of them, either.  They're far too expensive for us and usually are offered only as a very special treat."

Don looked at the girl intently, noting that Ramiela appeared far more relaxed than she had since before waking up on the plane.  They seem to be making some headway. With the doors of communication now open, the girl seemed more willing to listen as well as to talk.

Easing down to the floor and kneeling on one knee in a sincere gesture of contriteness, Don bowed his head and exclaimed, "Ramiela I'm very sorry that we lied to you and drugged you. We really thought under the circumstances and how nervous you were that it was for the best." He then offered a ceremonial phrase to enhance his intent even more, "Boku teikyo yorokonde ninaru sheyonin, Ramiela."

Although she recognized Don's posturing, she still had some strong words to share with him.  "It wasn't, though!" Rama snapped, as her face grew dark.  She turned to glower at Don, his form still in the submissive posture.  This was, after all, the start of the whole problem and her distrust of them.  As Leo had offered to her, Ramiela was going to take full advantage of his invitation to be open and truthful and to say what she wanted to say, "How am I to trust _you_ when you do things like that? Or try to force me into giving up my secrets by hurting Mike." Her voice rose in anger now, "If you are NINJA, Don, then you should have KNOWN from the very beginning if he was telling the truth!"

Don looked up at her, explaining, "Ramiela, I realized while I was sparring with Mike that he was indeed telling the truth. Yet we both knew you were keeping things from us so we thought a little deception was in order to get the truth from you."  He remained in his kneeling position, trying to portray humility – which wasn't easy for Don to do, given his worldly reputation! "I never hurt Mike; we both decided to use the normal bruising from our spars as a way to coerce you into admitting who you were."  He sighed, "We're both very sorry for that."

Rama sensed Don's sincerity.  She also she knew that deception was a common ninja tool.  However, ninjas didn't use it on friends or clan members.  Of course, she had permission to practice deception with her own clan as part of her April fool's jokes.  After all, years ago her sensei sanctioned it, much to his chagrin of course!  She was troubled, though, because she didn't know what to believe about those here in this world.  Don's words and actions had not been agreeing with one another and that was a problem for her.  As The Master had once said to her, _"Beware of friends who offer a gift in one hand and a knife hidden in the other."_  Rama didn't know if she could ever dare to trust Don at all.

"To be honest, I don't know what to believe from you, Don," she protested in exasperation. "True, I would not have gone on your plane willingly.  I admit that, but I am not opposed to seeing logic or reason either."  Her tone softened slightly, "If only you had explained it to me, allowed me to ask questions. I still might have stressed about it, but at least I would have had the opportunity to decide and, by that, appreciate your honesty.  Then, I would be able to trust you now." Rama stifled a moan, remaining in control of her emotions, "Instead, however, I wake up in a situation where I have been drugged and deceived.  Not only that, but also this same situation proved to me to be highly dangerous.  The fact that those I should have trusted had committed these acts against me made it even worse!  I had to assume, then, that you were my enemies." Rama went on explaining, "Yet, what if something were to happen? I don't care how safe your planes are,Don_, _accidents DO occur! I wouldn't have known how to save myself in that kind of a situation, never mind anyone else's." she glowered hard at him.  With her emotions near to erupting, she yelled "ALL OF MY TRAINING WAS SUDDENLY USELESS!"  Ramiela's words hit hard with the one kneeling before her and with the remaining three who stood nearby.  Her words echoed throughout the large room. 

Don winced at the fury of her statement.  He knew few ninja would want to stay in harms way.  They always prepared themselves for anything, so, regardless of the situation, they would be able act on a moment's notice.

With remorse, Don replied, "I realize that now, Ramiela, and all I can do is promise to be totally honest with you in the future. As much as I would like to, I can't go back and change the past." Don sensed that Ramiela still doubted him, her suspicions were running high. He knew it would take time before she would trust him ever again.  However, he did have to make a point on her behalf, "Yet, by not telling us about yourself, about the fact that you were a kunoichi, you lied as well!"  He looked up at her without expression. He was only stating a truth and it would carry its own weight without any vocal enhancements from him.

"I didn't lie to any of you!" she snapped at him.

"But when you saw Mike you…"

"I said he reminded me of someone." She snapped, "I didn't lie because I didn't know this Mike.  He only looked familiar to me, is all." Rama reminded him. "It was after that when _your_ lies began, when you first deceived me with that drugged tea!  Then, I only lied to keep my clan safe until I could find a way to get back home!"  

Don noted that she admitted lying to them, but after they had lied to her first. Her lies had been given in an effort to buy herself time. All the while, she would search for answers and then try to determine if it was safe to reveal the truth to these strangers. In essence, she did it as a way of protecting herself and her own clan, just as she had stated.  It was an attribute and a distinction he would have to keep in mind regarding her.

"I can only wait and see if what you say and what you do merit the same thing before I can ever trust you." Rama stated firmly, her gaze upon Don steady and sure.

He nodded towards her in acceptance, "I understand, but during that time that I am earning your trust, are you willing to drop your hostilities towards us?  Also, if you have a problem will you please tell whoever is trustworthy in your eyes so we can resolve it?" he inquired softly.

Rama paused as she carefully considered his words.  Finally, she stated resolutely, "I will do that for now, unless I have reason to believe that you are further deceiving me." She never wavered before him but kept strong her resolve not to back down.

Don accepted it, knowing that he would have to work hard to regain her trust.  Therefore, not knowing how to do that presently, he uttered one more traditional phrase that requested release of his posturing, "Suru gahitsuyo de aru nitsukaeru ka, Ramiela?"

He then waited.

So did Ramiela. 

She was rather enjoying seeing this pseudo uncle of hers in a position of respect and submission towards her.  Rama felt she was due and for the moment, if only briefly, was going to savor the experience.  She was fully aware of his growing impatience.  She recalled only a few weeks before how her sensei had her in a similar position.  Power was wonderful, that was certain.  Yet power used inappropriately could create problems in the long run. 

Satisfied that she had made her point, Ramiela finally uttered the responding phrase that Don was waiting for, releasing him from his sustained bow of respect, "Ga hitsuyo de aru sheyonin ima no tokoru kanaeru/ataeru shakuho suru, Don-san."

After easily resuming his stance before her, Don gave her a short nod of approval.  Although it took a great deal of determination for him to give her that deep show of respect, Don felt it necessary.  He was quite impressed with the wisdom she used in wielding it, as well.  He gave her a warm smile in return.

"Good," Mike declared excitedly, "Now that that's settled and we're all friends again, let's get some breakfast.  I'm starving." He nearly bounced in giddy fashion towards the stairs. 

Rama had to laugh just a little.  Her own father would say as much.

Raph slapped Mike on the back of his carapace, commenting with a snigger, "And I'm sure you're going to have a grand time getting Rahab to make up with you, too!"

Mike replied almost surprised, "Hey, that's right…I have to go tell Rahab first!  Be right back!" and he shot up the stairs.

Raph called after him, "Take yer time, bro!  You can have breakfast whenever!"

Mike's riotous laugh echoed back down the stairwell as he flew through the doorway.   

As the rest headed likewise up to the family room, Rama paused and took a lingering look back at the dojo.  How she longed for a good hard work out.  Her body almost felt drawn to the equipment display, but she knew she wasn't quite ready for that yet.  With a regretful sigh, she turned to follow the others back upstairs with Raph leading the way and Don behind him, then Leo and finally Rama.

Part way up the stairs, however, a body came through the door.  It was Devon and he started heading down, easing his way passed his father and uncles.  Rama moved over against the railing to permit him room to pass by her.  She nearly gasped when she took a good look at him, but managed to foreshorten it lest she embarrass herself. 

Devon looked as good as Seth did and maybe even better!  She saw a roguish quality about him that instantly appealed to her.  It spoke of a subtle determination with a hint of wildness, boarding on arrogance. She knew that it had to come from Raph.  It was almost intimidating, but she liked it, nonetheless.  She could almost feel her skin tingling at the light touch from him as he swiftly brushed passed her and down into the dojo.  She ducked her head in a little as she felt her face grow slightly warm.

Gaele hadn't mentioned anything about Devon being involved, had she? Rama couldn't recall it. Besides, Devon looked hot enough to fight for even if he was. After all, she might just stand a chance with him, yet she didn't want to go making the same mistake she had with Seth.  Consequently, for the moment, she used every ounce of her training to keep herself going up the stairs instead of turning around and following Devon down to the dojo.  It just wouldn't be proper, anyway, where they had only briefly met the night before. 

Devon turned back and watched Ramiela as she climbed up the stairs and through the door.  Once he heard the click as it shut softly behind her, he shuddered a bit, repulsed by the image of her scars.   To him she looked more like some pathetic rag doll, all sewn up from numerous scraps than anything else.  He scowled disapprovingly, sniffing smugly.  Although he recognized immediately the fact that she might be the only possibility for him to have a family, he knew she was only a kid.  Moreover, he just couldn't see himself with the likes of her with all of those scars, not when he had so many other better and more attractive prospects.  Though they were human, he had long ago adjusted to the reality of his limited selection. 

Devon then shook his head, wondering how in the world Rama would even dare to walk around without covering herself up.  It was just too improper!  "You'd think with all those scars she'd want to, just to hide them!" he groaned rudely.

With that, he launched into a series of fast and difficult katas, if only to rid his mind of Ramiela's flawed image. 

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**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**_ - _

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_- Ah, vacation!!  Yes, we can only assume that's the reason why reviews were down overall. No problemo; I love vacations!  A necessary part of life that I wish happened more frequently!  :0)  Well, I'll be in the Philippines from July 27th – August 14th w/out a computer, too.  That means, no updates for almost 3 weeks!!!  Don't panic, though.  My goal is to have this story done by then.  If not, then my homecoming will be that more enthusiastic!  LOL   Rama is an easy character to get into trouble; she's such an attitude!  Stitches take time, but our hapless heroine heals fast – very fast, in fact.  As far as hearing from you, we know that you will check in the moment you can, so don't fret.  Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_ – Ah, but where one bridge is built, another one is usually needed.  It is a rather 'long' river to cross with all the different personalities afoot!  Leave it to Leo to think clearly, although Don should have, right?  Just goes to show he's not perfect, either!  Yet, Leo runs that school of enlightenment in Japan, so he's had lots of practice at it!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_ – Well, now we all know how the 'meeting' went, eh?  Glad you enjoyed chapter 14.  Ramica wrote it with some input from me.  We've been trading off, depending on our muses.  When mine gets going, I do it, when hers does, she writes.  We add to each other's work and augment here and there.  Sometimes we're both on a roll and then it's a hoot trying to 'marry' the two versions together.  Lots of fun!!  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_LADY CHRISTIAN KNIGHT 88_**_ – Cool – you read all the Rama stories!  Well, it is a fun universe to be sure.  How can anyone not love Rama?  She's so honest and real and written so well.  Ramica did a wonderful job!  I feel it an honor to be co-writing this story with her, you can be sure!  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed. _

**_AS SOON AS RAMICA RETURNS FROM VACATION, HER COMMENTS WILL POST HERE!  SHE IS CURRENTLY W/OUT ACCESS TO THE INTERNET._**


	16. A Pandora's Box of Ninjas

DISCLAIMER: IMPORTANT!  I inadvertently didn't upload the correct chapter – the one that features Ramica's additions.  My PC rearranged the order of my ff.net file, which meant I had to find chapter 16 by typing it in the 'search' mode.  What I uploaded first was the 'before Ramica' version.  There are changes, so read if you want to.  Okay, same ol' song, regardless of what language you sing it in.  Don't own any of 'em 'cept Ramiela/Rama belongs to Ramica and Gabby and Mindy belongs to Reinbeauchaser.   Also, we don't own the television show, Extreme Home Makeover.  Thanks to all who are reading this story. 

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CHAPTER 16 –   A PANDORA'S BOX OF NINJAS

Rama found, much to her relief, that breakfast proved to be of a more relaxed meal than dinner the night before.  She deliberately placed herself next to Leo, however, leaving the lone chair on the other side of him for Devon, if he chose to participate, that is.  He was currently the only one missing as he was still working out.  Mike took the head of the table while Rahab sat at the opposite end.  Rama noticed that they seemed to be enjoying looking at each other a little more generously than the night before. 

_"Must have made up, I guess!"_ she mused to herself.

Then, across from Rama sat Riahna, Raph, and then Don.

Ramiela did notice that Seth and his family were not present.  She later learned that they had the first meal of the day in their own home.  In fact, Rahab told her that they rarely ate with the family except on special occasions.  It wasn't that they had anything against it.  As Rama discovered from Mike, Gabby felt it important to establish some rituals and traditions. Where they already lived on property, it was a way for her little family to be autonomous and reasonably separate from the main household.  Considering they lived so close together, it would have been all too easy to treat that as a convenience.  Insisting on having their meals separate from Mike's initiated some independence for them.  Given the fact that Don had generously enlarged what used to be the guest cottage, it was a decision was easy to make.  Additionally, Gabby seemed to enjoy cooking and chaffed at having to share those duties with Mike as it was.  Therefore, most meals for her family occurred mostly in the smaller house in the back part of the property.

"Well, Ramiela, I think after breakfast I'd like to take a look at those injuries of yours; see how they're healing up!" Don suggested between a bite of scrambled eggs. 

Rama replied hesitatingly, "Um…if it isn't a problem, I would prefer that Leo look at them." Then she grabbed a quick mouthful of her breakfast as well.  She was still trying to work through the decision made only a while earlier to end her hostilities towards him.  Don was still suspect with her, whereas Leo had made considerable points in the 'trust' department.  After all, he had initiated the truce!

Don chewed his bite thoughtfully, looking over at Ramiela and then at Leo.  His brother gave him a subtle nod, wherein Don replied, "Sure…Leo's just as capable as the rest of us in discerning such things. In fact, I'm sure he'd love to make you his tea!"

Rama's shot her head up, "What?" she asked in alarm.

Don back peddled quickly, putting his hands up in defense, "It's not the one we gave you before the plane trip, okay?  His tea has healing properties and does an excellent job of accelerating the process."

Leo concurred, "This is true, Ramiela.  If you have several portions of it each day, by the end of next week you should be as good as new!" He then smiled at her to reassure the girl.

"Can I watch you make it, then?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing just a little.  She was well versed in chemistry and especially the healing teas were concerned.

"Absolutely, you may!  Did your clan have such methods?"  Leo asked and then took up his glass of orange juice, enjoying a sip from it.  He watched her and sensed a little apprehension, but it dissipated quickly when she realized there wasn't any real threat regarding the tea.

"Yes, only my Uncle Donatello made them." Rama replied.  "They, too, sped up the healing process but we healed unusually fast anyway.  These injuries would take only a week to heal in my world.  I'm not sure if that holds true here in yours."  She was now done with her breakfast and was relaxing just a bit in her chair.  She sensed nothing but sincerity from the one sitting next to her.

However, just in that moment, there was a slight disturbance across the hall from the dining room where they were eating.  It was then that Devon came striding in, somewhat glistening with perspiration from his workout down in the dojo.  It was obvious that he had come straight up from there to catch what was left of the morning meal. 

However, his appearance only made him more intriguing to Ramiela.  She had all she could do to control her response to his arrival.  Yet, enough of her silent reaction caught the attention of just about each member of the table!

Completely ignoring her and not at all aware that peace had been made between her and his family, he took the vacant seat farthest from Ramiela.  In fact, where he placed himself, she would have had to lean forward and then turn her head to the right to catch a glimpse of him.  However, Rama's senses were already keenly aware of him due to his proximity.  Therefore, his deliberate snub was not received too well by her!  She sat there confused, hurt, and becoming increasingly irritated.  This, too, did not go unnoticed by certain members of the clan. 

Leo, sensing a brewing problem, initiated her removal from the table, "Well, I think now is as good a time as any to check those abrasions!  Ramiela, if you don't mind?  Maybe we can do this over at Seth and Gabby's house?"  He pushed his chair back and rose to a stand, extending a helping hand to Rama.

She was better able to see Devon, now, but – just as he did when he first came into the room – he literally ignored her.  "I guess so.  Nothing much going on in **here** anyway!" she exclaimed in a huff. 

With that, she took up Leo's proffered hand and rose from her seat as well.  Leaving the dining room, she followed him out the opened sliding glass doors just a few steps away and headed on over to the smaller home.  Yet, the more she thought of Devon's rude behavior towards her, the angrier she became.  Never was rudeness of that magnitude tolerated by her clan.  It was prudent where she lived to make friends with 'guests', if only to ensure that they would not turn enemy.  Then again, maybe where Devon lived they were freer to behave as they willed without the threat of 'being found out'.  Where the human population already accepted them maybe good manners was optional.  It seemed a sad commentary, though, just the same.  Ramiela knew that manners were always essential, regardless of the circumstances.  In that moment, Devon became a spoiled rich kid and his attraction to her diminished considerably.

Don watched as the two of them left the larger house behind, drumming his fingers impatiently on the table.  He waited for a good five minutes and then, as they stepped inside the smaller residence across the yard, he leaned forward towards Devon.  Catching his nephew's attention, he said only four words "Knock it off, Devon!"

"Wha?  All I di wa wahk in an seh down!" he protested, his mouth full of scrambled eggs. _( "All I did was walk in and sit down.")_

"We've made peace, okay?  We've learned a few things about Ramiela that's changed our perspective.  So, be nice!"  Don explained sharply, straightening up in his chair as he locked eyes with his nephew.

Devon scowled, shaking his head, "Look, I don't need any teenage bubble head following me around.  If I'm nice, she'll get the wrong idea…did you catch the vibes coming off of her?  No way, Uncle, I'm not gonna even look at her." Then he took another bite from his plate.

Don swiftly snatched the plate from in front of Devon and handed it over to Raph, "You'll be nice or you won't eat!  The elders have decided to do what we can to make Ramiela feel welcomed and to earn her trust.  I insist that the junior members of this clan abide by that decision.  Otherwise…"  Don trailed off, hoping to enlist Devon's imagination to fill in the blanks.

Scrunching up his face in disgust, the boy relented, "Fine, whatever…just don't make me take her anywhere!  The last thing I'll need is to have Patchwork Polly hanging on my arm!" and with that Devon gruffly stood up to leave the dining room.

However, Raph called out to him, "Hey, Dev…downstairs, now!" and he stood up to follow his disgruntled son out of the room and towards the dojo.

"Man, I'm barely back in my own time zone and I'm already getting it…no justice in this world.  Should have been born a salamander!" Devon continued to rant as he made his way to the stairwell in the other room. 

Mike looked after him thoughtfully.  He turned back to face Rahab who seemed at a loss.  "He's grumpy; hasn't quite caught up to California time." He reasoned.  "Raph'll work it out of him.  And…have a talk or two." Then he grabbed up the last piece of toast, slathering thick globs of butter and jam onto it, popping the whole thing into his mouth.  "Ah, breakfast, the heavenly food of champions!" he said with a wide grin.

"Or pigs!" Don mused as he glanced over at his younger brother, drumming his fingers on the table impatiently once again.

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From Leo's examination in the downstairs bathroom at the smaller house, Ramiela was pleased with his report that she was indeed healing rather quickly.  "We heal fast as well, but you are definitely setting a new speed record for recovery!  I'm quite impressed." He chuckled approvingly. 

"Thanks, but I owe it all to my genetics!" Ramiela laughed. 

"It's quite possible that with your lifestyle, your body has had to make some adjustments with injuries." Leo offered, "I remember my brothers and I also healed faster when we were living in the sewers.   Since then, though, it's not as quick, but then we rarely get injured as we once did.  Not enough Foot around to make it worth our while, I guess!" and now he laughed a little.

Rama sobered some as she thought about the last part of what Leo said.  "So, the Foot are gone here in this world?" she asked in wonder.

"Well, here in the States they are.  They did have a bit of resurgence about three years ago, right after Gabby arrived.  However, between Don and the authorities, we pretty much squelched their organization.  In Japan, though, they're still a force to be considered, though not nearly as bad as they were thirty-eight years ago."  He washed his hands in the sink and then turned towards her, "I'm afraid that if you're looking for any Foot action while you're here, you're going to be quite disappointed!" and then he chuckled again.

They soon left the guest bathroom and joined Gabby with Mindy in the living room.  Seth was cleaning up the dishes, his usual chore, so for a few minutes it was just the four of them.  Gabby was cordial, but Ramiela could tell that she was harboring some resentments towards here.  However, the girl decided she would wait until Seth joined them.  She wanted to make restitution on behalf of her bad behavior from the previous night so it was important for him to be there to hear it.

The little girl was reading a book, or – more to the point – Gabby was reading it with her.  It just happened to be about the Pokey Little Puppy.   Rama smiled a little as she listened to Gabby read aloud with Mindy repeating the story word for word while she followed along.  From Rama's vantage point where she sat in one of the armchairs, the child seemed to be pointing to each word she read, with her mother helping.  They sat across from her on the living room couch.  To hear the echo of the story coming from the young girl brought a wave of nostalgia to Ramiela.  She wondered then how her little brother, Tyler, was doing and how Cathy was feeling as she closed in on her due date.   More than anything, Rama wanted to be there for the birth of her new half sibling, hoping for a sister, but settling for healthy.  So far, no one had yet lost a baby so it was a good bet that this new little one would make it into the world successfully.  Still, it pained Ramiela to be where she was instead of at home in the sewers with her family.

Just then, Seth walked into the living room.  "Hello, Father … ah… hello, Rama."

He seemed a little cool towards her.  Yet, Ramiela couldn't blame him, really.  Still, she decided not to change the option she gave him to calling her by her shorter name.  Though she wished she hadn't of been so quick to give him that honor, at this point, it wouldn't have mattered.  In fact, by retracting it she felt it would only cause more resentment.

"Hi." She replied shyly.  Ramiela looked over at Leo and saw something in his expression.  Immediately she understood.  Whenever her sensei prompted her to do something when among family members, he did so silently.  In an instant, she realized he and Leo were very much alike with that regard.  She discovered it rather amusing and scary to think, even though their circumstances were worlds apart, their nature remained the same. '_He really is so much like Sensei in every way' _she mused to herself.

Turning towards the little family unit, she began, "Ah, I believe I owe all of you an apology for my behavior last night.  I won't bore you with details, but suffice it to say I was out of line.  I didn't mean to snub Mindy at all; I was somewhat out of sorts with the plane flight and certain – ah – circumstances.  I'm fine now, though!" she smiled, hoping that her attempt would be enough.  She sensed approval from Leo, although he kept his attention on his son and daughter-in-law across from him.  Whether or not they accepted Rama's apology, what was important was if the one sitting in the chair next to her approved her action.  Rama soon sensed acceptance from Leo, catching a quiet, "Well done" from his thoughts.  She relaxed just a little, though, still waiting for the couple across from her to respond.

Seth smiled over at her, somewhat relieved and Rama saw that Gabby soon followed with a like expression. "Well, we're sure that all things considered, we must be a pretty strange set up for you.  But, no hard feelings.  We forgive you." Seth said in understanding.  He looked down at his daughter and caught her gaze as she looked up to listen to him. 

Rama replied, smiling and more relaxed than before, "Arigato, Seth!"

It was then that Mindy acknowledged her company.  Earlier, she had been engrossed with reading when Leo and Rama first arrived; completely absorbed with the book she had at the time.  Gabby had then motioned the two towards the bathroom, keeping most of her attention on her daughter.  Rama half expected the child to squeal with delight over Leo's presence based on how excited she had been the night before over his impending arrival.  However, he explained once they were in the bathroom that Mindy's focus was rock solid.

"Once she has a book in hand, nothing short of a thunderstorm can break her concentration. I'm expecting her to do quite well once she begins training!" he nearly crowed with pride.

"Even without any enemies you still train your children?" she had asked him in surprise.  In her clan, all her cousins began their training on their fifth birthday.  In a way, it was like the equivalent to kindergarten for humans.  Their training insured their personal safety, whether they ever ended up on patrol or not.  Just moving through the sewers and topside was dangerous in itself.  Additionally, if there were ever an invasion on their lair, they would be able to assist its protection.  Learning ninjitsu was a way of life for every member of her clan, no matter what, from the cradle to the grave.

Leo replied, his voice deep and serious, "Ramiela, no one is ever completely safe.  Given our uniqueness, we do attract the occasional degenerate.  Being part of a family of ninja will always entail training in that capacity.  In fact, Devon just finished a six month in-depth training session with me over in Japan."  He smiled, "Gabby, herself, has even endured my torture!"

Rama had to laugh a little, remembering her own sensei with how hard he pushed her! Torture often didn't seem to be the right word for it since his lessons could be very grueling in deed.  Yet, she had learned early on that Sensei usually had a reason for putting her through the tasks he set her to do.

Now, Rama was facing off with Mindy.  The little girl obviously had a sharp memory as she scowled at first, not knowing if she would be rebuffed a second time by the newcomer.  Still, in typical fashion, the three year old would not give up with out a good try or a good fight, whichever came first!  She snatched the Pokey Little Puppy out from her mother's hands and marched over to where Rama was sitting.

Seth and Gabby, along with Leo, both watched in anticipation.  Neither of them knew Ramiela at all to know how she would be with children.  Much to their amazement and relief, this time Rama received the child with open arms, settling the girl willingly on her lap and positioning the book comfortably in front of her.  Then, Mindy demanded, "READ ME!" in a voice that defied refusal.

Wisely, Ramiela complied and so began the story all over again with Mindy echoing and pointing to the words. However, the three year old was not yet satisfied.  With a loud voice that commanded compliance, she ordered, "POINT!"

Rama cocked her head at the toddler, arching an eye ridge. "Keep it up kid and you'll be commanding an army with that voice when you're older" Rama teased lightly.

Mindy saw no humor in her comment, only repeating her last command "POINT!" more forcibly, jabbing at the opened book with one finger. 

Rama had to chuckle a bit to herself, rolling her eyes in comic fashion before resuming the story, thinking to herself, "_Whatever happens, don't let Mindy near my clan or so help me she'll be giving my cousins some ideas - I just know it!"_  

As she read to the child, she couldn't help but see the bossy toddler as being quite amusing in her own fashion.  In fact, the little girl reminded Rama of herself as a child.  She realized in that moment what her father and the rest of the clan must have gone through during her younger years, putting up with her bossy ways and determined spirit.  A bit of nostalgia and melancholy seeped into her composure as she read along, warming to the youngster on her lap and appreciating her strong personality. Ramiela wondered if she were to have children, would any of them have such fortitude as Mindy. _"Good grief, for my sanity's sake, I hope not!" _she mused silently.

The other three watched in fascination, humored by the obvious control the young child was determined to wield with the newest member of the clan! 

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Ramiela ended up putting Mindy down for her late morning nap, singing the little girl to sleep with one of her favorite songs her younger cousins back home enjoyed.  She rather liked the little girl, her smile was wide and genuine and her quick forgiveness of Rama freely given.  Mindy actually made her new friend read through three more books before she began to tire of it.  By that time, she was yawning and in dire need of a nap.  Her poor grandfather had to play second fiddle to the newcomer, Ramiela!

"You're quite good with children, Ramiela!" Gabby gushed.

Rama replied, "Well, when you're the oldest out of 12 children, it comes with responsibility.  I've had to be!  I'm sensei to those old enough for training and I usually end up playing with the whole lot of them or babysitting when the parents want a night alone.  It gets hard for them, though, when it comes time for their first ninja lessons.  They can't quite make the transition from playmate to teacher too well at first." She laughed. "Kaida, my Uncle Raphael's youngest, was the worst for it.  She kept trying to get me to play and didn't know why I was being so mean with her."

"You instruct, Rama?" Leo asked in amazement. "Why not your sensei?"

"Well, I have to learn to lead and as far as my younger cousins are concerned, I'll be their Jonin a lot longer than my sensei will.  I'll be second in command until he steps down, so it's best they learn early who is boss." Rama explained "besides that way Sensei is free to do other things or spend more time with his own family."

The other three sat there in thoughtful silence as they digested this new bit of information from Rama.  Leo's eyes sparkled appreciatively as he took in this newest member of his family.  He had to appreciate her for the roll she obviously played in her clan.  To be considered a future Jonin and then, during the interim, be second in command, or chunin, to his double would indicate someone of superior ninja ability.  When one factored in her young age, it was a good deal of responsibility and maturity for the girl to have.  Leo became all the more anxious to get this one healed up so he could see how well she worked.  Just a bit of excitement began to grow within him as he thought about it. 

Seth asked, "Where you are from, I'm told that you're still fighting the Foot?"

"Yes, only it's headed by someone else other than Shredder.  He was killed before I was born, so another monster took his place." Rama replied casually. "Sensei sometimes wishes he hadn't killed him because things seem to be a lot more difficult now under Yukio. I can't really say as I don't what it was like when Shredder was alive."

"We had a bit of a skirmish here about three years ago.  Kids that were drawn into that clan tried to …well…they invaded the forest out back." Leo calmly stated. "It was the kid's first taste of battle where they were old enough and trained enough to participate.  We almost lost Mike, in fact, in that battle."

"Really?  You actually fought?" Ramiela was somehow convinced that these turtles never did much other than make money, live in fancy houses, and fly around in huge planes. Hearing that they trained their children had been a surprise in itself but now on top of that hearing they fought was something else again.

"Well, yeah, we had to otherwise who knows what would have happened."  Seth explained easily.

"So, who won?" Rama joked.  It was obvious, of course, but she just had to ask.

"We did….ah, I see…funny aren't we!"  He chuckled, as did Leo and Gabby.  "I have to say, though," and he turned to his wife, "For Gabby being new in the family, she did rather well!"

Rama looked over at the young woman and saw how clear her complexion was without a mark or a nick anywhere.  "You fought?"  She asked her.

Gabby nodded, but then shrugged, "Not very well, actually, but the situation was desperate.  I really should have stayed out of it though because I was still in the early stages of training."

"Early stages?  You mean you didn't have any before that time?" Rama asked in amazement, concentrating on not staring gap-mouthed.  Her estimation of Gabby rose considerably.  _"If she can handle a skirmish with the Foot and come through as well as she did with so little training, then she must have natural talent."_ Rama considered silently, "_Might be interesting sparring with her.  Then again, with her being in the latter stages of pregnancy, it probably wouldn't be wise.' _Rama thought to herself.

"No, I didn't.  I didn't know about any of this or Seth and his family.  In fact, I was raised by a human – Professor Perry…." Gabriella began to explain.

However, Rama interrupted excitedly.  "Professor Perry?  THE Professor Perry?  NO way…you have to be kidding me!" She was nearly on pins and needles.

"You have a Professor Perry where you're from?" Leo asked, amazed once again at the similarities between his world and Rama's.

"Sure, doesn't' every mutant turtle family!" she sniggered, but then became serious again, "Yeah, we did but he passed away years ago, before I was born I think.  He was the stuff of legends how he was part of the ooze history and all.  My family reveres him very highly!" Rama explained excitedly, but then noticed, though, a sadness wash over Gabby.  "Oh, I'm sorry…I think I remember Gaele saying something about ….him passing on here as well.  I – I didn't mean…."  Rama winced as she realized she had probably triggered memories for Gabby with her blathering on.

Gabby waved a hand gently towards Ramiela, "Don't worry about it, please.  I think about him every day and get a little misty from time to time.  It's fine. I'm just surprised that with our two worlds that there are so many things that are alike is all."  She smiled but Rama could tell that losing her surrogate father had been hard on Gabby.  What was it, three years since he had died, and based on what Gaele had told her?  Either way, Rama made a mental note not to touch on that topic again unless Gabby brought it up first.  Even then, she would tread carefully just the same.

They visited a while longer and then Leo decided that it was time for tea.  Rama agreed and soon they left the couple and headed back over to the main house.

"I'm really sorry about carrying on regarding Perry, Leo.  I hope I didn't start anything with Gabby." Rama bemoaned.

"Don't worry about it.  She's recovering, but it was hard on her.  He raised her by himself until she was twenty-five.  The last three years have been a challenge for her. She's now part of a large family unit whereas before she just had the professor.  Mindy has helped quite a bit, though!  And…Seth, too!" Leo smiled and then lowered his head as if in thought as they came up to the house.  The two of them slipped inside and over into the kitchen. 

Devon was reclining on one of the couches in the adjoining family room, channel surfing through the maze of programs on the television.  He seemed transfixed by the screen as if he hadn't even noticed the couple that came in.  However, Rama could sense that he was fully aware of everything going on around him.  Still, his rebuff earlier at breakfast hadn't sat well with her so she turned away to watch Leo prepare the tea. 

Rama was quite intrigued with Leo's ingredients. Some were different from what her Uncle Donatello used while others appeared quite familiar.  From her knowledge of chemistry and herbs, she deduced that Leo was making her a straight-up healing tea – without any sleeping agent.  After a ten-minute brew in a pot of boiled water, she was able to have her first cup.  It had the familiar flavor of what she enjoyed back in New York, although she was a little apprehensive at first.  The last batch of tea she had while back there had put her to sleep.  Yet, she was fully aware of the current pot's ingredients so she pushed her concerns away.  After all, Leo had so far imparted himself to her as being quite trustworthy and honorable. 

After her fifth cup, Ramiela called it quits.  "Thanks, Leo, but I think I've enough tea in me to float a battleship!"

Leo smiled broadly at Rama's good-natured joke, saying, "Then I've done my good deed for the day!  I would suggest that you relax a bit to allow the tea to do what it's supposed to, okay?"

Rama nodded, "Sure thing!"  She then noticed that Devon had finally settled on a program and was currently watching it.  She decided to join him, only Rama made sure she was sitting solo in an armchair at an angle from where Devon was sitting. 

"What's on?" she asked as she took a seat.

"The television." He replied flatly. 

Rama chewed her lip for a moment, focusing on keeping her ire down.  "No, what program are you watching?" she asked with strained politeness.

"Some show." Devon tried to ignore her.

Leo walked through the family room towards the stairwell.  He eyed Devon.  As he passed by the boy where he was sitting on the couch, Leo gently tapped him on the shoulder and then continued towards the basement stairs.  Of course, Leo's 'taps' were more than mere touches; they held a strength that suggested a change in whatever one was doing.  Startled, Devon straightened up and cleared his throat, "I'm watching some home improvement show.  I think it's that Extreme Home Makeover where they completely redo a whole house in seven days." 

"Oh…never heard of it." Rama muttered.  "Seven days, huh?  How can they do a whole house in seven days?  That's impossible."  It didn't get passed her the improvement in Devon's attitude when Leo came into the room.  She chuckled silently to herself, recalling a moment ago the look on his face after Leo's tap.

Devon rolled his eyes and then said, "They have over a hundred workers and carpenters that come in and work twenty-four seven.  They have a design team that plans it all out from start to finish.  They're professionals, sort of the 'ninja' of the home remodeling world!"  Devon then sighed in exasperation, trying to focus on his program.  He was slouching a little, relaxed and just vegging out.

Rama glanced over at him without moving her head, allowing her eyes to do the work.  She sniggered to herself a little, sensing a perfect opportunity for fun and Rama often found it very hard to pass up any fun that came her way no matter in what form. "So, what do they do with the owners?" she asked innocently.

Devon took a deep breath for self-control and then simply said, "They send them _away_."  He exaggerated the last word and then went back to watching the program again.

Leo hung back by the door to the stairwell, watching and observing.  He knew that Devon was aware of him, but it didn't deter the turtle.  He could sense the agitation in his nephew, but after living with him and guiding him for six months, he was well aware of his short temper.  As he watched Ramiela, he had the distinct impression that she was quite aware of it, as well!  He chuckled to himself, pitying his nephew, and then went on through the door and down the stairs to the dojo.

After a few minutes, Rama asked, doing her best not to smirk and keeping her face innocent.  "Where do they go?"

"Huh?"  Devon asked impatiently, turning towards her and blinking her into focus. "Where does 'who' go?"

"The owners, where do they go?" she asked again, curling her legs up in the chair to get comfortable.

"Away…probably to Disney World or a cruise or something like that…just watch the program, will ya?" he begged, going back to the television once again.

Rama allowed a few more minutes to go by and then she asked another question, "How do they pay for all of this.  Golly, it must cost thousands of dollars to do all of that!"

"Lots, that's for sure." Was all Devon would say, his eyes determined on the television set.

Rama watched as the construction crew tore down walls, both inside and out, adding rooms, new flooring and carpeting.  They redid the entire outside to look like an English castle, adding a half-mote with a mini drawbridge in the backyard, and even had a mock up of a dragon in one corner that was in actuality a slide and swing set for the owner's children.

"Who in their right mind would want to live in something like _that_?" Rama exclaimed as she took in the slowly changing house. "Is that what the owners wanted?" She was shocked and aghast at the complexity and over-the-top look to the nearly finished house.

"The owners haven't any idea about the design.  They just accept what's given to them." Devon explained.

"You HAVE to be kidding me. I'd _sue_!" Rama declared; her eyes fixed on the program now, amazed at the amount of work done in so short a time.

"They get it done for free, Ramiela, they can't sue.  Besides, they sort of interview the owners ahead of time to see where their interests are.  It's still a surprise, though." Devon went on to say, "Just about every show has a happy ending, too"

"I wouldn't be that's for sure." She crossed her arms in disgust, "To come home to THAT every night when the other homes in the neighborhood are so – average." 

"That's the point." Devon sighed in exasperation, "They take an average home and make it better." Devon was getting a little irritated with the girl, her constant chatter and questions distracting him from his program.  "Look, just zip it and watch the program. It's almost over anyway."  He said irritably.  Devon then settled deeper into the couch as if by that action alone he could get farther away from the annoying person in the chair across from him. 

"Well, I guess 'better' is in the eye of the beholder.  Oh, look, here they come now!" Rama exclaimed.

The screen showed a long black limo Jeep pulling up the street, the occupants most certainly the owners of the castle-house.  The big bus that housed the designers was effectively blocking the family's view of the newly redesigned house.  As the owners exited the limo and waited, the bus then pulled away with much fanfare from the lead designer.  There were wails of joy and shock and surprise from the family, which consisted of six kids and two adults.  They were jumping around and screaming, shouting exclamations of disbelief and glee; they seemed genuinely happy.  Even after walking through the interior of their new old home, Rama couldn't see one unhappy face amongst the owners.  "Amazing…how could they even like something like that?" she wondered, shaking her head incredulously. 

"Well, it certainly beats _living_ in the sewers!" Devon seethed, his program now ruined – in his opinion – by the newcomer with the over active vocal chords.  He clicked the television off, tossing the controller onto the coffee table where it clunked and skidded almost to the edge before stopping.

"What was that suppose to mean?" she asked, suddenly not so interested in pushing Devon's 'buttons' anymore.

"Nothing, forget I said anything." He back peddled, turning away from her.

"NO, you insulted me…that's what you just did." Rama could roll with the best of them but his comment about living in the sewers hit home with her.  "You don't have a clue what it's all about, yet you sit there and make comments?"

"Look, I'm sorry, okay…but you talked incessantly throughout the entire program!  I couldn't hear what they were saying or anything." Devon complained, getting up to walk out of the room.

"I did NOT talk throughout the entire program.  Besides, if you're ninja, why didn't you sharpen your 'ninja' hearing?" Rama chided.  Devon's attitude was certainly becoming a major irritant with her.  Though she did try to bug him earlier, it was – after all - only part of her nature, it was obvious he didn't have a sense of humor. 

Devon snorted out a derisive laugh, "Are you questioning _my_ ninjitsu?"  He stopped his departure and stood facing her, his hands on his hips and his tail lashing back in forth with short slaps against the floor.  He looked at her as if she were below him, his confidence in obvious overdrive.

"Oooo, lizard boy is getting his tail all in a rub….better watch it, someone might come around and twist it!"  Rama teased. "Yeah, I'm questioning your ninjitsu!  For cry'n out loud, Devon, it was only a television program!  At the very least you could have turned the volume up!" 

Devon's eyes turned to slits as he assessed her words.  "What did you just call me?"  He growled low and menacingly.

Rama suddenly felt and sensed a deep foreboding, as if she had inadvertently opened Pandora's Box of trouble.  She smiled a little, though somewhat sheepishly, and replied, "I was kidding, Devon.  Can't you take a joke?"

"Not with something like that – Patchwork Princess!" he seethed.

"Patchwork Prin…." Then, it hit Ramiela why he had chosen that phrase.

"Yeah, it's perfectly obvious to me who's lacking in ninjitsu skills!  With all those scars you're wearing…." Devon's temper was flaring, now, the more he thought about being called lizard boy, "…it's a _wonder_ you don't fall _completely_ apart!" he chortled good and loud. "What does your family use you for, anyway - target practice?" he laughed. 

Rama was stunned.  Yes, she loved a good ribbing and could take it equally as well as she dished it out, but this was over the top.  Then again, maybe 'lizard boy' was a name that Devon had thrown at him before and not in a jesting way, either.  Regardless, the label '_Patchwork Princess'_ and then accused of being the target for practice stung like no other.

"Maybe you have a nice cushy life here in rich-ville, wonder boy," Rama grounded out, "But in the REAL world one has to make REAL decisions and sometimes those decisions puts you in harms way.  Either that or you watch someone you love die in front of you!" She stood now, glaring at him and walking slowly towards him, almost in a predatory way, "But you DO it because the safety and well being of your clan takes precedence over your own life!" She stood toe to toe with Devon, now, slightly below his height but not by much.  She could sense other members of the household react to the slowly brewing confrontation as they made their way to the family room.  However, focused on only one task – that is, putting the one standing in front of her in his place – she continued, "The scars you get doing battle are your trophies, proof of sacrifice of keeping your family safe.  You wear them proudly because it says you are ninja – not the kind of ninja that goes to _summer camp_ for six months, but the one who doesn't mind getting '_down and dirty'_, who's honor and integrity means more than having a fine house, nice cars to drive, or money to spend.  Sometimes that honor leaves you with very little to eat because in order to eat you would have to _steal_, but you can't – because you value honor over a full stomach!" She was now mere centimeters away from Devon's face as she grounded out, "Yet in all of _that_ you can hold your head high because you are the true definition of what is means to be **NINJA**!"

With that, she stepped back to assess her antagonist.  Devon never moved a muscle and he wouldn't have even if he wanted to.  He just watched Ramiela, somewhat dumbfounded and definitely at a loss for words.  It was the first time anyone in his generation had dared to challenge him.  He watched her as she slowly, every so slowly backed way – so slowly he didn't even know she had moved until she was at the stairs in the hallway.  Yet, he realized right then that she hadn't moved slowly as much as she had gone ninja.  Before she ascended the steps and with an audience consisting of Raph, Don, Mike, and Rahab, she made one last comment to Devon, "When you can claim that, then you are ninja.  Otherwise, in my eyes, you're nothing more than a wannabe!"

Rama confidently climbed the steps to her room, closing the door ever so quietly behind her, leaving in her wake a room full of stunned and some slightly amused observers. 

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She's BAAACCCCKKKK!  Okay, Readers, the next set of comments re: reviews are from Ramica!  These comments are for chapters 14 and 15, or is that 15 and 14.  Hmm…  I think their self-explanatory.  Anyway, I'm letting her have the honors this time as a welcome back to the world of Fanfiction!  Now, everybody clap!

_Chapter 15:_

_Vestquex: Well how does one comment on a review like that? Oh my, what fun! Let Rama handle Devon I know for a fact that no one can get even quite like she can._

_Sailor Vegeta: Everyone is really out to get poor Devon. Good thing he does have ninja training he might need it to stay alive with enraged fans out to get him._

_Pretender Fanatic: Glad you enjoyed the screamer. A Rama baseball cap? Gee can I have one of those? Nah…just kidding. Rama is who she is and if something feels right for her then I let it be. Reinbeauchaser works quite well with Rama and brings her to a whole new dimension. Rama can't wait for that fight either._

_Danceingfae: The arrogant rich boy is being a little too materialistic and too used to having the finer things in life can spoil just about any one. As to which of these two ninjas end up on top wait and find out._

_Chapter 14:_

_Vestequex- It did have to come out sooner or later and as you have seen telling Leo has worked out for the best for poor misunderstood Rama. Of course, that doesn't mean that all the trouble is over with now does it?_

_Sailor Vegeta: You have now seen how Leo has managed the confidence Rama has placed in him. Seems like it was well worth the gamble._

_Lady Christian Knight 88- Wow that is a lot of reading. The Au's are a bit more disturbing the first far more than the second one. But hope they don't disturb too much if and when you do get around to reading them. _


	17. In Trouble Again!

DISCLAIMER:  Okay, just because Ramica is back doesn't mean things have changed. We till don't have any legal or monetary rights to the TMNT's or to Wendy's creations.  We own only the other characters and the plot. 

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Chapter 17: In Trouble Again!

Rama waited until she was in her bedroom before allowing herself to let her composure crumple.   She leaned against her shut door while hot tears spilled down her face.  She held herself tightly as the intensity of what she was feeling grew to tsunami strength.  Rama literally felt as if she were drowning.  What Devon had said hurt far more than what she was willing to let on earlier.  His words stung as no other words had before now; yet it wasn't lost on Ramiela that her utterances had probably hit 'pay dirt' with him, as well.

How could she have allowed that scene downstairs to escalate as it did?  She was kunoichi, after all, and future Jonin of her clan.  It was a fact, now known by those downstairs and most especially by Leo! When she should have walked away and ignored it, she made things worse by reacting.  Rama's original intent was to have some good old-fashioned fun, her kind of fun.  However, only her clan was accustomed to it.  How did she expect Devon to respond anyway?  True, she sensed his arrogance and temper quite readily, which only egged her on, but she still should have exercised better control than she did.  Rama didn't know what was worse - how she was feeling from Devon's insult, or how she felt about insulting _him_ in the first place. 

She should have known better!

"_But,_ _he thinks I'm ugly!"_ She thought to herself.  She wasn't really that bad looking - was she?   Maybe not on the inside, but all the ugly scars were on the outside - which was what most people saw first.  First impressions were important and the first impression anyone could get of her had to include her scars.  She couldn't escape that fact if her life depended on it!

So what if he didn't like her … so what?  The fact that he had arrived with Leo right in the middle of a difficult situation with Don didn't help Rama at all.  More than likely, Don might have shared with them what had happened before their arrival and before she came out of the powder room.  To make it worse, Leo ended up in the hot seat all because of her 'bow of respect' towards him.  She didn't know any of them, least of all Devon, to discern how they would react to that.  Maybe he took offense to it since she was a virtual stranger to them all. 

It was also quite possible that Raph later had informed Devon in the dojo all about her snub of Mindy.  He probably told him about the errant comment Rama made about how 'at least she looked normal for a mutant'.  She cringed at the memory of her words. It could be that Devon's disgust of her had turned to dislike, if only for that alone.  His niece was at the center of that remark. If he were anything like Rama was with her cousins, Devon would be protective of the little girl…and as he should be, too.

Yet, his labeling her a _Patchwork Princess_ continued to haunt her as she stood trembling in the bedroom.  She hurriedly went into the bathroom, trying to control her crying, and, using the mirror, looked at her numerous scars.   She was seeing them, now, for the very first time, the way that others outside her family might see them.   The scars were long, ugly disfiguring things and she felt for a moment repulsed by them.  Recalling Gabby's clear skin as well as Rahab's and Riahna's, for once she found herself turning away from her own reflection.  She leaned her shell against the counter and cried even more.

If others thought the way Devon did then she truly had no chance of ever finding a mate or having a family of her own. No one would ever wait to see past her outer ugliness to know what worth she had inside of herself.  Trophies of honor worn with pride, but it seemed that way only to those in her clan who bore similar rewards of their own battles.  However, the rest of the world would never see it in that light as they would only see an ugly battle-scarred mutant turtle.

"What was I thinking that these were marks to be proud of!" she cried, "They're hideous.  I don't care what Sensei told me, I'm scarred and marred and not the least bit pretty.  How _can_ I be with these – things – all over me!" she wailed quietly. 

She glanced at her reflection and once again heard Devon's mocking taunts, _'Your family uses you for target practice.  Patchwork Princess.'  _She growled slightly "I'll show him who the real ninja is. He's only survived one battle," she seethed as she remembered Leo's comment about the sortie three years prior, "I've survived so many that I've lost count."

However, that was part of the problem.  Rama knew all of her battles had taken away the outward beauty that had once been hers.  As it was, she barely remembered a time when she was blemish free, it had been so long ago.

Unable, now, to look at her reflection any longer, Rama went back into the bedroom and flopped down on her bed.  She buried her face and sobbed almost uncontrollably.  "If my own kind is so repulsed by me, how can I even think a human wouldn't be, too?" 

While she cried into her pillow, doubts and conflicting thoughts ran rampant within her.  She wished she could purge these silent accusations and Devon's cruel words from her mind.  Yet, she couldn't and she kept hearing them repeatedly…

 _Patchwork Princess._

Then her sensei's words counteracted - _Don't let other's views determine what you are or how you see yourself._

However, the memory of Devon's verbal assault echoed defiantly,_ Family used you for target practice._

Again, she heard her sensei's encouragement at a time when she worried about the scars she was earning_, "Be proud of them Rama, they are marks of your skill and worth as a ninja."_

Yet she heard loud and quite clearly above all of that…

**_Your_** **_ugly, just plain ugly!_**

She then recalled her own words to Rahab when she first arrived, _a bit like a Frankenstein monster _and bitterly realized that it was really all she was.

Rama continued to sob into her pillow.

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Leo had sensed the disturbance even down in the dojo but had not allowed it to get in the way of his own work.  However, he knew enough that his family would step in and deal with the problem, whatever it was.  He sensed that part of the conflict came from Ramiela while the other part was Devon's contribution.  Leo shook his head a bit ruefully as he considered that.  Devon could be headstrong and stubborn and there was no denying from where he inherited his temper and attitude! 

Ramiela, on the other hand, was a trained kunoichi who had the responsibilities of one well past her years. However, she was still enough of a teenager that she could probably rebel from time to time.  Quite obviously, she could take a path that wasn't as wise as perhaps another way might be, an option that she might overlook due to her lack of experience and knowledge.

When he finished, Leo put his swords way.  Taking up his post workout towel and wiping the perspiration off his face, he thought about how impressed he was by this young kunoichi and all that she had told him. He realized that they would probably have to tell her about Splinter soon.  He knew it wouldn't be an easy task and he was fully aware how much of a blow it would probably be to her.  Not because of her hopes that Splinter could get her home but because she loved and revered the Master of her world so much. Leo had felt it and heard it in her voice.  He couldn't really blame her; he missed him, too.  Although he wouldn't mind waiting until she trusted the others a bit more, he also knew that if he waited too long it might give Ramiela false hope.  She could end up feeling as if she had been deceived once again.  With that in mind, Leo couldn't procrastinate too long.

He then went upstairs, soon finding Mike in the kitchen.  His brother was working on lunch, which was only about an hour away.  He watched him for a moment and then asked, "So, Mike, what happened between Devon and Ramiela?"

"What didn't happen, Leo?" Mike shook his head as he cut up the watermelon.  It juiced a little more than he had expected, with it running off the counter and onto the floor.  He quickly grabbed up some paper towels to clean the mess, saying, "I don't know about that girl.  I'd love to know where she gets her temper from; it sure ain't from my side of the family." Mike stated as he tossed the now wet towel into the nearby trashcan.

Leo was silent for a moment, taking his time to reply as he thought.  Then, he countered, "Could have come from her mother. I don't think Ramiela knows much about her" Leo then paused, only to add a moment later, "she said her mom left when she was a baby and I sensed it was true.  However, I also have a feeling she knows a little bit more about her mom, but didn't want to talk about it."

"Maybe it was a bad break up or something that she overheard from others." Mike suggested before shrugging it off.  Shaking his head, he talked as he sliced the melon into wedges, "You should have seen it, Leo.  Rama went into full ninja intimidation mode with Devon!  She left the boy absolutely speechless for the first time in his life…quite the site to see, her telling him what being **ninja** really meant." Mike said with a hint of pride in his tone and a slight amused chuckle in his voice.

Leo groaned and raised a hand to rub at his temples "She can't go around using such tactics, Mike. Where are they now?"  He knew he had to do something to rein her in.  Despite her agreement to end hostilities, Rama was without leadership and, as far as she probably saw it, on her own.  Someone was going to have to mentor her, someone to whom she would listen.    
  
"As far as Rama is concerned, I think she's upstairs in her room.  Don took Devon out for a talk." Mike replied, "I don't know how much good that will do; Devon's a pretty difficult piece of work when he's got a 'bent in his tail'!  I have been considering going up and talking with Rama, too, but…" Mike's eyes went a little big thinking about that, chewing his lip in hesitation.  He began to place the watermelon wedges onto a nearby plate.

Leo grinned as his brother's voice trailed off.  "Not afraid of a kunoichi are you Mike?" he teased lightly.

"She is far more than an average kunoichi if she's going be Jonin, Leo," Mike corrected, "I wouldn't want to go against you if it came right down to it.  Besides, I don't know if she'd take what I had to say to heart.  I'm sure she's still not too trusting of me for my part in deceiving her."

"She is more than a future Jonin Mike, she is at present a sensei to her younger cousins and the chunin as well," Leo informed his brother "or so I learned at Gabby's this morning."  He looked off wistfully, a pleasant smile creasing his face.  Leo had an almost pleased expression as if he had discovered something wonderful.

Mike turned to look at Leo.  He studied him for only a moment and then said, "You're very interested in her aren't you? It's like you've finally found yourself a star pupil that you can impart all your wisdom too." Mike half joshed, slapping his brother on the back of the shell good-naturedly.

Leo turned his head back to look at Mike, the smile still in place, "She does intrigue me, I won't deny that, Mike. I'll talk to her, but first I want to know everything you can tell me about this altercation between the two."

Mike motioned to the breakfast nook, "My pleasure, Bro!" and the two of them went over to the kitchen table, both taking a chair and sat down. 

"Well," Mike began, "It all started with this home improvement show…."

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Rama had finally cried herself out and then went into the bathroom to wash her face with a cold cloth.  She fixed herself a glass of water, but tried to avoid looking at her reflection as she did.  When she was done with her drink, she returned to her bed to meditate for a bit and hopefully to find some peace of mind.

The meditation did help a little and she realized in retrospect that she hadn't handled things very well herself.  Thinking about the program the two of them watched, she commented silently, "I reacted again instead of acting. I pushed his buttons and he pushed mine." She told herself. "If only I had…" but then she heard a soft tapping at the door.  Just a little self-conscious with her crying, she reached out with her senses.

It was Leo.

Ramiela knew beyond a doubt why he had come to her room.  Again, it was nearly impossible to keep secrets from a ninja clan   Where she had such a volatile confrontation with Devon, it was a sure bet Leo had sensed it.  If not that, then someone most certainly told him about it.  As Rama further reached out with her senses, she could tell he was not angry with her, but just concerned.  Yep, he had probably sensed her current turmoil as well.

"At least maybe I'll escape a tongue-lashing.  Maybe…unless Leo's _exactly_ like Sensei.  Then…I'm toast!" she lamented quietly and sadly.

"Come in." She offered. 

The door opened and Leo stepped inside.

Rama smiled a bit and immediately stood and bowed to him properly.  He returned her bow and gestured for her to sit back down.  She complied as she had a feeling he was there to talk.  Judging from her behavior with Devon it didn't take a lot of imagination to figure out regarding about what.  She tried to keep from squirming.  Quite honestly, though, she couldn't deny the tight little ball of anxiety that seemed to be settling in the pit of her gut, either.

"So you and Devon decided to _go a round_, hmmm?" Leo asked as he arched his eye ridges slightly. He noted Rama's own eyes were slightly red as if from crying, but she seemed to be in control once again.  He had to be amused just a little with this kunoichi who didn't seem the least bit hesitant to shed tears.

"Already heard, huh?" she smiled at him wanly.

"Hard not to with the 'vibes' that were getting tossed around!" he chuckled.

"Yeah, I guess we agreed to disagree" Rama admitted.

Leo came and sat on the foot of the bed "Who's responsible for your disagreement, then?"

"You mean, who started it?" Rama countered looking into his face "though I suppose that doesn't really matter because either of us could have retreated at any time." She decided as she looked down at her clasped hands.  She then looked back up at him.

Leo gave her a questioning look but she remained silent.  His continued gaze at her made Rama squirmed a bit, causing Leo to chuckle inwardly.  However, he made sure he maintained his serious outward expression.

Realizing he was waiting for her to answer him, she offered, "All right, he insulted me with a remark about my living in the sewers and I took offense to it." She paused to swallow, then continued, "… and I insulted him back. Then it just sort of uh …well … snowballed from there." she confessed hesitantly, blushing just a little. 

"You provoked the insult though." Leo said, making it a statement not a question.

Rama wanted to deny it but she knew in her heart she couldn't.  "Hai, I did and I should know better then to go instigating things with any Raphael offspring."

"Yes but Devon is much older then the Raph children in your clan. Also you happen to be a Michelangelo child and if your father is anything like Mike used to be, then you have a tendency to push buttons." Leo declared.  He smiled a little, thinking of all the times Mike in his youth would irritate Raph just to ease an otherwise dreary day down in the sewers.  "Ramiela, if you're that bored that you go looking for trouble I'm sure we can find something for you to do until temptation passes." He suggested firmly.  His smile was now gone.

Rama knew it was far more than a mere suggestion from him, for she caught the subtle intent that underlined his words and tone.

Leo softened his voice a bit and placed a hand on her knee, "Ramiela I'm glad you realize that you had a part in what happened and that you are willing to take responsibility for it." He then assured her, "However, if you instigate a battle you have no right to complain when an opponent takes you up on it.  You deserve any and all injuries you've earned from it." Leo admonished firmly. "You provoked Devon by nagging him through the television program and you had to know you were irritating him." Leo's eyes narrowed in severity and Ramiela was quite aware of it, too.

Rama hung her head and glanced away, suddenly ashamed of her behavior.  It seemed he could do it to her as easily as her own sensei could.  She felt that old dreadful feeling where she had somehow lost honor by acting in such a fashion.

Surprisingly, Leo cupped her chin in his hand and turned her head so he could look her in the eye, "Also you insulted him as well - even in jest."

"I know and I was wrong," Rama agreed humbly, swallowing back the lump that was forming in her throat.  However, despite their plea, she refused to allow her eyes to tear up.

"Intimidation tactics are fine in their place.  As a future Jonin you have probably been trained to use it on your enemies or possibly on occasion with the members of your clan when necessary" Leo explained, "Sometimes though, less is better. You don't have to use intimidation all the time to prove a point or to overpower."

Rama winced "Too much, huh?"

Leo nodded "I'd say so, yes. You know how to and in its own right it's admirable. However, you must learn to control it so you don't end up abusing it or using it where it isn't necessary."

She muttered, looking away once again, "I guess I owe Devon an apology, then. Seems to be a day for them,"

"Well Devon did play his part in it, but it is true your actions didn't help matters any." Leo confirmed, "As a future leader you must lead not only by what you say but by what you do, the examples you set are for others who might follow you."

Ramiela nodded, a determined look coming to her face.  Leo was right and it was true; Devon had insulted her but she didn't have to respond to the insult in kind.  She could have ignored it or walked away.  It took two to fight, after all.  It also took only one to avoid it all together.

"Hai, I could have handled things better than I did; only I closed my mind to those options." she confessed honestly.

"You are rather new to it and it does take a while to learn." Leo encouraged gently and impressed by her maturity and understanding. 

He smiled and then said to her, "I can only imagine, though, how his words must have stung.  But, really, Ramiela…Lizard Boy?"  He chuckled just a little. 

Rama smiled at his response, but she knew he didn't find much humor in it, despite his own expression.

Leo continued, "Just so that you know, the kids – all of them – had a tough time at first assimilating into the human world.  For obvious reasons they sort of stood out.  Devon, being the forerunner to Seth, took it the hardest.  His personality is much like his father's, Raphael.  Between inheriting his father's temper as well as his mother's, it put him at odds at times with his classmates at school."

Rama's head shot up, "They went to school – with – people?" she was shocked, truly shocked that this world she was in would be so accommodating to her kind.

"Yes, they all did – except for Riahna, but she has special attributes that kept her out."  Leo replied, "I remember while living in the sewers, fearing humans the same way you do.  However, times have changed a great deal and except for those of ill repute, we are not only tolerated but well received by humans."  Leo was familiar with the fear that Rama was currently feeling, the fear of being discovered or found out, the fear of being abused – and he already knew she had experienced that.  "Still, Devon had to endure taunts and name-calling.  Lizard boy was one of them!"

Rama cringed, she was so right in assuming that!  How ironic.

Leo continued, "He made friends, eventually, and most have been legit.  He did have one friend who turned out to be anything but; however, he's out of the picture as far as our family is concerned." 

"What did he do?" Rama asked curiously.

Leo looked at her as he weighed the wisdom of answering.  Gabby had for the most part recovered enough where her nightmares had ceased.  Yet it was a personal issue with her and he was certain that if Gabby wanted Rama to know, Gabby would have to be the one to do it.  He decided to err on the side of caution and sensitivity, "The boy violated our family, but I feel that for now that's all you need to know." 

Leo considered Ramiela's willing part in the altercation with Devon, studying her in that moment and sensing her need for an 'anchor'.  The more he thought about it the more he wanted to work with her, now.  However, knowing how she felt about others making choices for her, he decided to consult with her first to see how she would feel about it.

Leo looked at the girl, still smiling a little, but then his expression went flat, "I know that in this world, I am not your sensei.  You are virtually – ah – how can I best say this…."

Rama helped him out, "Sensei-less?"  She smiled as her father's humor edging passed the seriousness of the talk.

Leo's own grin returned just a bit, but then his more serious expression replaced it, "Yes, that works."  That was when he stood once again, facing Ramiela. "However, I do have a proposition to make to you."

"What's that?" Rama asked, her curiosity switching from what offense this ex-friend of Devon's had done to what Leo had just asked her.

"Since your sensei and I share common traits and, most likely, common skills, I would like your permission to assume his roll with you while you reside in our world." He suggested formally.  Leo's expression was soft and caring, but there was a strong sense of authority that flowed forth from it.  He kept his senses alert to her immediate reaction to his gentle proposal

Ramiela gulped just a little.  For a while since she had arrived, she was rather enjoying the idea of not having anyone over her.  She felt a 'free spirit' in a sense whereas in her world she was always under someone's authority…if not with Sensei then most definitely with her dad, Mike.  It was not that she wasn't compliant, but it was at times overwhelming.  Don had tried to assume that position with her here, but he had violated the trust aspect of it.  Because of it, Rama knew she would never again give him that kind of power over her. 

Yet, at the same time, she felt directionless, as if she were adrift without guidance and counsel.  Yet, here was her pseudo-sensei, her twin Uncle Leo, asking – not demanding – but asking her if he could assume the roll of teacher, sensei.  Rama knew she could refuse him if she chose to.  However, after greeting Leo with the kind of respect given to him and with how honorably he had used it, she realized it would be a great offense if she did.  Rama knew she needed someone from this world to trust, a person with whom she could go to for advice and who could also correct her.  Although she hated correction, Ramiela was wise enough to understand the need for it.  How could she lead effectively if she didn't have someone telling her how?  Being sensei to her younger cousins had taught her that much.

"Hai, Sensei." With that, she stood and bowed before Leo, further sealing her relationship with him as his student.

Leo's smile returned and he placed a hand on her head, "I promise that as your sensei, I will govern you wisely and will never put you in harms way – unless it is the last resort.  I will honor you as a kunoichi and as a member of this clan – however long that will be.  Until we find a way to return you to your world, you will apart of our family.  You may now rise."

Rama's respect for this double of her sensei grew considerably in that moment.  She knew he would now intervene more sternly with her regarding any ill behavior.  However, she also felt more grounded and buoyed than she had since finding herself in this strange, upside down world.  It gave her confidence and a resolve to do what she must with Devon.

As she raised her head, a smile beamed across her face.  She didn't really want to fall behind in her lessons or training for lack of a teacher.  Learning from others could be valuable and insightful in its own way. There wasn't much difference between this Leo and her sensei at home, except this one was older and maybe a bit wiser.  He may have more knowledge and skill to impart to her, in fact!

Leo smiled "Then I look forward to working with you. How does one session in the morning and one after dinner sound to you?"

"Sounds great" Rama cheered.

"One more thing Ramiela, don't let what Devon said to you about your scars bother you." Leo sensed her quick pain and a great deal of doubt rise in the girl with his words. "In many ways we have spoiled our children.  We didn't want them to suffer as we did or as you have and perhaps we have indulged them a bit too much." Leo admitted, "Devon can't relate to your way of life."

Rama countered, though," But if things had been different wouldn't it have been possible for me to be born here into your family and Devon into mine? I mean there are so many similarities anyway that taken a separate path, things might have been different," Rama said hesitantly.

"It's possible yes," Leo allowed, furrowing his eye ridge at her, not sure what she meant.

"Then if I can see that why can't Devon?" Rama wondered.

Leo nodded, "Devon is a bit blinded by all the good things he's had handed to him.  He can't think of such atrocities. He can't see that the outer body is nothing more than a shell while the spirit last forever."

Rama realized that what Leo was saying was an echo of all she learned and believed in and she was glad that he was going be her sensei here.  It made it all the more tolerable for her.

"I look at you and see the honor you have brought your family and clan, the sacrifices you have made to protect those you love, and the fighting spirit within you that helped you over-come your many trials." Leo reached out and rested one hand gently against her left cheek, "However, Devon can't see past your scars for the moment. Don't go taking his words to heart, though."

Rama felt better at what he said to her, "All right I'll try and I won't cause any more problems with him." She vowed. "I promise!"

"Good. Now let me give you a bit of advice.  It might be better to approach Devon once he has had a chance to calm down.  After lunch might be good."

"Okay" Rama replied.

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Ramiela waited until after lunch as Leo had suggested before making her apology to Devon.  During that time, though, they avoided eye contact as they sat around the table and concentrated eating their meal.  In fact, the entire table felt subdued and weighted down by the earlier confrontation.  The entire clan focused on either his or her own plate, eating quietly as if anticipating a coming storm.  Riahna was the only one who felt like chatting and it was about her latest floral display.  However, the lack of response from others silenced her discourse quickly enough, so the girl drew into herself as she ate the rest of her meal. 

After lunch was over, Rama went outside to grab a moment of fresh air.  Just for a moment, though.  She wanted to give Devon a chance to find a spot to relax in before approaching him.  She felt it wouldn't be prudent to jump on him the moment he finished his lunch.  When she came back into the house, she found him slouched in a chair in the family room watching television once again.

"What do you want?" He snarled giving her a disgusted look as he saw her coming into the room.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about bothering you earlier and for calling you what I did." Rama spoke sincerely as she went to sit down on a nearby couch.  An apology meant nothing unless you really meant it; that was what her father and sensei taught her.  Just to utter words without feeling a change in yourself, just to say them for the sake of hearing your own voice would make the apology sound hallow.  "I didn't mean to offend you, Devon, I only meant it as a joke.  Yet, I realize now that it wasn't a very nice joke on my part." She admitted sheepishly.

"Yeah, well don't go expecting me to be sorry that you're a pathetic _ninja_ who can't even duck a weapon." he grumbled in return.  Despite Don's talk, there wasn't going to be any way in Hades he was allowing the smallest crack of a chance for her to get sweet on him. 

Ramiela narrowed her eyes and bit her lower lip to force back the sharp retort that sprang to mind.  She felt her rage boil up but just as quickly, she shoved it back down.  _"How can he be so – rude like that?"_ she asked herself, hurt and angry at the same time.

"And as far as I'm concerned you are still a beat-up rag doll." He spat out sharply, looking at her with an expression of disgust.

Rama felt a sudden blinding urge to retaliate against him right then and there and ignore any self-control she might have.  However, she recalled her promise to Leo and because she had honor she would not break that promise. Leo's respect of her was worth far more then Devon's in her mind.

Rama gave a light snort "You know what, I'm just wasting my time here.  Enjoy your television!" she said quietly before standing back up and turned on her heels to walk away, her head held high.

"Is that how you got your scars, by running like a coward?  Yeah some ninja you are." Devon called out derisively to her retreating backside.

Hesitating only slightly, Rama used all of her training to keep walking instead of going after him. Although his very words cut her through to the quick of her soul and hurt like none other, she would take the honorable way out and retreat. 

In her mind, words of comfort soothed her injured spirit as she made for the back yard, '_Ah a fair face may fade while a beautiful soul lasts forever and if that is true I won't have to worry about seeing Devon in eternity. He might look good on the outside but on the inside he just isn't worth it, for I deserve better._'

She consoled herself with those words of encouragement, but she couldn't help the pain or the doubts that rose with the barbed words Devon had cast upon her. Neither could she quite see past her fears that the odds of finding anyone better were slim to none – regardless of what world she found herself.

Devon smirked as he watched her leave.  He knew he had hurt her for he could sense it and to him it meant victory. He didn't care if he hurt her feelings or if the supposed _ninja_ went off to cry like a baby. For that matter if she lost all interest in him and avoided him all together it would work to his favor.  After all, he didn't want to have her following him around getting all sappy.  He'd be free of her and that suited him just fine and dandy.  There were better-looking fish out there in his world and, though they were human, they were a far cry better looking than Ramiela was. 

Devon then sensed something he hadn't noticed earlier.  He turned to see Leo leaning almost casually in the doorway.  However, the scowl on Leo's face and his crossed arms over his plastron assured Devon that his uncle wasn't the least bit amused.

Right about then, Devon realized with a sinking feeling that Leo must have seen and heard everything but had purposely kept his presence hidden until now.

The boy's smirk waned in that instant as he realized he was in deep trouble once again.

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**_Ramica will do the honors with commenting on the reviews:_**

**_Vestquex_**_: Yes, at the moment Rama and Devon share a love hate relationship going on. They love to hate each other. Course time will tell who the top ninja is.___

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Ah if Rama is yet to bite then it is hard to say which, is worse where Rama is concerned. Personally I don't know if Rama would want any of these turtles, especially Devon learning her childhood nick name of Rama llama ding dong.___

**_Lady Christian Knight 88_**_: Rama does not take offense lightly even if she does have a great sense of humour. Glad Rama has grown so much on you that you consider Baka for a name of a cat. However Baka has been taken. However if you perfer Baka's personality and colouring was modeled after a pet cat I owned, who died very young due to health problems, his name was Bingo, you can use Bingo if you like.___

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Mindy out of Rama's league age wise yes, most definitley however Rama is used to amusing and playing with her younger cousins and baby brother Tyler so she can get down to Mindy's level and play if she wants. It was just before Rama was out of sorts and didn't want the others thinking she was going enjoy being there.___

_Have you reread 16? There was a second posting of that chapter, which added a bit more depth to hopefully clear that up.___

_Devon__ was probably taken back by Rama's sudden verbal attack. ___

_I did have a wonderful vacation and am now ammusing my 12 year old nephew so not getting much writing done.___

_Hope you enjoy yours.___


	18. A Grief To Bear

DISCLAIMER: I may have pre-senior moments, but not knowing who owns the TMNT's isn't one of them!  Ramica agrees with me, though she's decades away from being as old as I am!  :0)  Just read the chapter, okay?  We'll have one more up, maybe two, before I leave for the Philippines, so read nice and slow so it lasts longer!  LOL

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Chapter 18 – A Grief to Bear

Once outside on the patio, Ramiela did a quick visual check to see who was already out there.  Mike and Rahab were sitting side by side at one of the three umbrella covered patio tables, talking close together.  The girl noticed Rahab giggled uncharacteristically as Mike nuzzled into her neck, smiling and whispering something to her.  Rama thought it rather cute to see, reminding her of how much her own father loved Cathy in that way.   She was amazed with the similarities and for a moment, she forgot the sting of Devon's words from just a minute ago. 

As she looked around, she noticed Raph and Gabby talking out by the pool, both sitting in their respective lounge chairs.  Riahna was off by herself, cutting some of the flowers from the garden nearby and placing them into a metal container.  Rama brightened up at the sight of the roses, iris, and other varied flora that grew there.  She dearly loved flowers and to see so many growing nearby gave her a giddy feeling.  Maybe she could pick a few for herself, with permission of course.

Rama then wondered where Don had taken off to when a squeal of laughter turned her attention back towards the pool.  Seth was tossing Mindy up in the air while he played with her in the shallow end.  The girl was having a delightful time pretending to be a bird, as she waved her arms around, giggling.  Seth caught her and held her just for just a moment.  However, the child screamed out, "MORE, Daddy!  More!" 

Like a good father, Seth tossed his daughter once again, cringing just a little as the child's ear-splitting screech of delight pierced the otherwise calm of the backyard. 

Rama had to smile.  As she stood there and observed the family as a whole, she saw how tranquil the picture was.   Between Mindy and Seth, and the others, it was a perfect idea of what life could be like for her at home.  That is if she could fix some things, such as quelling the fear from people and their prejudice of anything not human!  Ramiela sighed just a little, somewhat sad that her clan would never be able to experience such a peaceful lifestyle like what she was observing now.  Yet, after talking with Leo, she knew that it came with a price.  These mutants had paid that price and had lived through similar experiences of rejection and fear.  It was only through a series of events that brought them to this point in their existence.  Maybe, just maybe, her clan might also go through something similar.  Yet, at what cost would they have to pay?  Possibly, it would mean losing a member of her family to live this way.

"No way…I'd rather live the rest of my life with my clan, forever hidden from humans than to lose even one just to be able to live topside without fear!" she said to herself, resolved and determined.  She gulped back the emotions she conjured up just thinking about that kind of sacrifice.  No matter the advantages this world offered, not one of her clan member was expendable in order to have it.

Of course, to foresee any kind of future like that was out of her control.  Whatever her or her family's future was would be up to fate and how life played out regarding them.  Maybe there would be a chance for a life like this without the loss of any member.  So far, it seemed as if everyone was present and accounted for in this world – with exception to Splinter.  As she thought about him, no one had yet mentioned the Master.  A fearful thought coursed through her like a strangling vine.  _"What if he's….gone?"_ she shuddered.  _"What if he was the price paid for this lifestyle?"_ 

A sudden tremor of fear and sadness enveloped her as she ran this thought around in her head.  _"If Splinter is no longer apart of this world, how – how will I know how to get home?"_  Rama swallowed at that possibility and knew that she would have to confront Leo.  At first, she was angry that he had yet to say anything regarding the Master.  However, she had just met him the night before so maybe the opportunity hadn't been right.  Additionally, everything from that morning had to be resolved where she had just revealed to Leo about her own similar past to theirs.  It was, after all, quite a bit to drop in her lap if the news was bad!

Solemnly, Rama made her way over to the fire pit.  She passed by the busy-ness of the patio, not wanting to socialize with anyone just yet.  She needed to work out her latest and most grievous apprehension first.

As she sat down on the concrete bench that encircled the pit, Rama looked up at the monstrous trees that stretched tall before her.  They were so intimidating that their majesty and grandeur reminded her of her Master in many ways.  Yes, she would akin him to these wonders of creation.  He was that big in her life.  Yet, unlike the redwoods that could live for hundreds if not thousands of years, her Master could not.  These turtles were so much older than the ones in her family.  Splinter was already aged and feeble in her world.  She had to wonder, then, if perhaps the Master of this reality might have already passed on.  She shook her head, unwilling to accept that and fearful of how it would affect her if it were so.  As she fought her emotions, Rama looked back over at the pool area.  She noted that Gabby was heading back for the cottage while Raph remained in his lounge chair, basking in the sun.  Seth was drying Mindy off, despite her pleas to stay in the pool and Mike and Rahab were just leaving for the main house, hand in hand and looking very much in love.

"Probably won't be seeing them until dinner time!" Rama snickered.  Yet she was pleased, too.  It was a far cry better than what transpired earlier, that was certain.

Then, she noticed Leo coming out of the house, passing his brother and sister-in-law as he did, and walked down the steps to the patio.  He looked around and, upon spying Rama in the fire pit, made his way towards her. 

"What is it they say?  Timing is everything?" She mused to herself. 

As Leo approached, he smiled at her. "How are you feeling, Ramiela?" he asked her.

Considering her current reflective mood and what Devon had said to her only moments before, Rama replied honestly, "Could be better, I suppose." She then rose to bow to him.

He bowed in reply and then asked, "Mind if I join you?"

"Sure." She agreed, motioning towards the spot next to where she had just been sitting.

They both sat down with Leo turning just a little to face her.  "I heard what Devon said to you in the family room and I want you to know that I've spoken with him."

"No disrespect, Sensei, but I doubt even your words will do much good.  He seems determined to hate me regardless of what I do." Rama lamented, turning away to stare at the redwoods once again.  She had a far away look to her and seemed genuinely sad.

"Maybe so, but I do have ways of getting through to him.  I can't say what the problem is, but give it time just the same.  He'll come around." Leo commented.

"To be honest," Rama turned to face him again, "I really don't care right now.  He may be ninja for all I know and maybe even better at it than me, but I've always been told that how you talk to someone was just as important as how you treated them.  The way Devon is, he'll never be ninja enough for me!" she turned gruffly back to watching the sway of the giant trees as the wind picked up just a bit at their higher elevation. "He's far worse than a spoiled rich kid; he brings dishonor to an honorable clan."

Rama's words stung Leo deeply as it had only been a day since returning from Japan.  There, he had put Devon through six months of extensive drills and lessons, imparting his own wisdom and that of his Master Splinter's.  He had hoped of curbing the young warrior's acerbic tongue.  Yet, in the end, he had to accept the fact that leopards rarely changed their spots.  It was a given that Devon had inherited much of Raphael's temperament and attitude.  It was probably influenced largely by Raph's absence in raising the boy, even though over the course of the past few years their relationship had improved.  Still when Devon had a mind to, he could be a very disagreeable mutant!

"You're probably right on some points, but remember who his father is!" Leo chuckled a bit.

Rama turned and faced her sensei, "Yes, I know that.  Even my Uncle Raphael had problems getting along with my step-mom.  When Cathy helped me to escape the laboratory in Connecticut, she had been welcomed into the clan for protection.  My Uncle Raphael was the only one who didn't like her being there." Rama gave a rueful shake of her head, "He made her stay with us very difficult and I sort of helped with it, to be honest.  He had convinced me that Cathy would never change because she was a scientist.  He said that she was there only to lead her co-scientists to our lair." Rama explained, "I also have to admit that I was still pretty shook up from what happened and was so afraid of the scientist coming after me and hurting my whole family.  We did everything in our power to convince her to leave."

"Did she?" Leo asked, his interest in this bit of Rama's history intriguing him.

"At first, she wanted to, but then Aunt Sara stepped in and forced Uncle Raphael to find something good to say about Cathy.  He had to sleep elsewhere until he did, too!" Rama smiled a little at the memory of her aunt wielding such control over her stubborn uncle.  Leo caught it and understood what she meant.   She continued, "And dad and Sensei sort of took me in-hand." she muttered grudgingly, "Finally, after a time, Uncle Raphael and I came around to understanding her and then my dad and she fell in love. I think they already were and that was the problem for me."

"Why is that, Ramiela?  Didn't you want your father to be happy?" Leo asked as he cocked his head just a little in query.

"Well, yeah, but not with someone whom I saw as an enemy.  I was wrong though and I guess I could say it was a good thing.  Cathy's been a blessing for Dad and me, giving him a son and another child that's on the way!" Rama confessed, "She also helps ease a lot of tension between Dad and I when he starts getting a little overprotective of me, which he has a tendency to do."

Leo nodded and then asked her, "So, you think that Cathy was always this accommodating to your uniqueness, that she always felt such warmth for you?"

"No, not at all.  In fact, in the beginning she was like all the other scientists where she would watch me and take notes.  I was to her just a dumb animal," Rama admitted.  "Although I must admit in many ways she was nicer then the other scientist.  The first day that they ran all these tests, she brought me a muffin for a treat." Rama recalled. "It was over the course of that month in captivity when she began to see me as a sentient being and capable of having intelligent thoughts and feelings as she did.  We had a lot of talks and I think she began to realize that my speech wasn't just mimicry on my part." Rama stated.   "Once she was convinced, that was when she helped me to escape because she was the only one of the group who believed I didn't belong there!" For a moment, Rama re-lived that time in her life, some of the anxiety returning.  Yet she knew it was just history and had nothing to do with her current situation.  She dispelled of the emotions and resumed her calm exterior. One day she hoped to gain full control of those hurtful memories, yet she knew that might only come in time.  For now, she had to deal with them as best she could.

"Hmm…." Leo mused, "I find it interesting that you've had a first hand account of someone who began as your enemy who ended up being your friend, even your step-mother.   Yet, you do not afford Devon this same opportunity."

Rama blushed and realized that Leo was right.  Her sensei of this world was, again, so much like her sensei of old.  It was apparent he would not lose an opportunity to impart a little wisdom where it counted either, it seemed.  "You're right, of course, I'm sorry; I should have known better." She hung her head in shame and turned away. "I guess it hurt so much to hear the same hateful words from him a second time that I just didn't think that far ahead.  I just wish he would have accepted my apology and let it be at that!" She turned back towards Leo and shrugged. 

"So do I, Ramiela, so do I." Leo agreed.  The two of them sat there quietly for a moment, both thinking about their conversation.  Finally, both of them began to talk at the same time.

"I'm sorry, Sensei, please go on." Rama entreated.

"No, you first.  I want very much to listen to you!" Leo smiled and nodded towards her.

"Okay…" she replied.  Clearing her throat for she was beginning to fear the answer to her next question, she asked hesitantly, "So far, in this world, just about everyone is a twin to those I love in mine, with exception to my aunts and step-mother.  I was wondering; do you have a Master Splinter here?"

Her eyes were large and wondering, maybe even a bit teary as she assessed her sensei's reaction.  It didn't take long for Rama to feel some melancholy emanating from the one sitting next to her. Before he even uttered his reply, she knew.  However, Ramiela held herself in check, steeling herself against what she anticipated Leo's answer would be.

"Yes, we did, Ramiela, and my reason for coming over here is about him." He said simply.

"And…" Rama hoped against hope that she had read her sensei incorrectly, but she doubted it, especially when she saw the faintest hint of sadness in his eyes.  She thought suddenly of his words _'we did.' _Past tense as in 'not anymore' and suddenly Rama wasn't so very sure she wanted to hear the answer. _"Oh Ramiela, how could you have ever believed that he would be alive here considering how much older these turtles are?"_ she chided herself.  Yet, considering him as dead was just not something she wanted to think about.

Leo replied softly and carefully, "Master Splinter passed away about ten years ago.  He was very old and lived far beyond his expected life time."  He placed his hand gently on Rama's knee and looked intently at her.  He was assessing her reaction and knew what it would be.

Rama tensed, even though she was expecting the kind of answer Leo gave.  She did a quick meditative exercise, breathing in and out very slowly to quell and stop the rising flood of emotion that was close to spilling over.  She had imagined far too long what it would be like to lose her beloved Master and now she knew.  She had hoped never to have that experience and, yet, here she was in the very presence of it.  She always, rather foolishly perhaps, believed that the Master would live on and that nothing could ever take him.  She wanted so much to yell at Leo, to accuse him of lying and that the Master couldn't possibly be dead.  However, Rama sensed his sincerity and his own pain that came with the memory of that loss.

First, her shoulders began to shake and then the tears welled up.  Rama fought it hard and clenched her jaws to refuse them release.  She looked away, hoping that if she saw the redwoods they might give her strength.  What she saw, instead, was a visage of her Master Splinter edified in the grandness and strength of the magnificent trees.  She closed her eyes tightly, stubbornly fighting what was inevitable, clenching her hands into fists as she battled her tears. 

Leo saw only too easily the affect the news had on the girl.  He had also felt her silent denial of the news.  He immediately embraced her. "I'm sorry, Ramiela, I know you were hoping he could help you. I can sense how much you care for him." Leo assured her in gentle whispers "I was with him when he died.  He went peacefully and I held him for the longest time not wanting to let him go. He isn't truly gone, though.  His spirit, his soul and his teachings live on."  Leo's arms felt her tremble even more and he knew it was only a matter of time before she gave her tears release.  It would also be time that would help her to heal, but for now, she needed to let go.

It was all Rama needed to relinquish the war of wills that raged within her.  She crumpled into his arms almost too willingly, unable to hold back the flood that was determined to drown her.  She cried deeply, though not too loudly. 

Ramiela didn't see Raph as he rose up from his chair to see what the matter was.  He could sense her distress, as could Seth.  The two looked up in her direction to see what was happening.  In a ninja clan, it didn't take much for such understanding and soon they were back to what they were doing before; Seth dressing Mindy and Raph taking in the sun's rays.  The latter would occasionally glance in Rama and Leo's direction, if only to make sure that Leo had things under control.  He could see the girl clinging to him as if he was her only hope.

They had talked earlier about Splinter and Ramiela, right after lunch when the girl had ducked outside. Leo had filled the others in about the dilemma with Ramiela and her hopes she had for the Master to help her see home once again. The others had wondered about Splinter, as well.  If it was true and they had younger twins in Ramiela's world, might a copy of Master Splinter be there as well.  Leo had assured them of this regarding what Ramiela had said concerning her own Master.   He also told them how she held the revered rat in high esteem despite his slight deterioration.  It was a given that they were all rather worried about how she would react to finding out he had passed away in theirs. 

"I'm afraid that it will be as hard on her as if her own Master had died in her universe." Leo surmised.  "I do not relish telling her, but it needs to be done, preferably today."

All of them had agreed on this front.

So, when he saw Leo walking over to where Ramiela was sitting in the fire pit, Raph knew what he was going to do.   In the end, it pained him to sense such despair coming from the girl, yet he also knew that it was better now rather than later for her to know.  Possibly it would further cement her attachment to his brother, making it that much easier for Ramiela to adjust. 

Only time would tell.

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RAMICA'S REVIEW COMMENTS –

**_Lady Christian Knight_**_- A cat by any other name can still be fun. In the original comics Mike had a cat called Klunk. So glad you enjoyed.___

**_Danceingfae_**_: Well Rama has had plenty of time alone and in worse situations before. The others might soon learn what Rama is all about soon enough andI think she can handle Devon on her own just watch!___

**_Vestquex_**_: Your review are stories in themselves and almost worthy of a review. They always bring laughter and a smile cheering up otherwise monotonous days. Ah, Rama might be a tough kunoichi but she is still very much human and can still be hurt.___

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Negative tapes are very difficult to get rid of once they start playing in your mind. Rama finding herself in such, different circumstances is questioning and doubting her looks as we all might doubt how we look from time to time.___

_Thanks to all for reviewing always greatly appreciated.___


	19. Food for Thought

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: As before, Ramica owns Ramiela/Rama while Reinbeauchaser owns Gabby and Mindy.  All other characters the property of either Eastman and Laird or Wendy A Peabody.  Oh, and both Ramica and Reinbeauchaser own the plotline to this story_.

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CHAPTER 19 - Food for Thought.

Though she was sad about her Master's passing here in Devon's world, Rama was fully aware that the one in hers was still alive.  Once she had cried herself out in Leo's embrace, he had encouraged her to focus on that fact, that Splinter would still be there waiting for her when she returned.  That thought inspired her quite a bit and helped to settle her emotions.  However, Rama's hope dissipated to seeing him in this world, which was probably the defining reason why she broke down in the first place. 

"I had so wished to see him, Sensei.  I was sure he would be able to help me get back!" she moaned pitifully.

"Rama, whatever it was that you felt Splinter could do for you, please believe that all of us working together will be able to do likewise just as well.  He imparted much of what he knew about life to me as well as to my brothers.  As a team, we will all work towards that goal of getting you back home.  I give you my word." Leo smiled at her, wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb.

"How can you promise such a thing?" she asked, hiccupping once and shaking her head.  "Maybe there isn't a way back?" Rama asked worriedly, in which case she would never see any of her family again. She quickly rejected that stray thought for the moment, however.  It had been quite bad enough hearing about Splinter's loss, but contemplating losing her whole family all together was far too much to think about.

"I can only promise to do my best, Ramiela, and to give you my honor.  As far as being successful in that endeavor, it will be up to fate and how it plays out." Leo explained, "If you are supposed to remain here, then here is where you will remain.  If not, then you will see your family once again – including your Master!" 

Rama nodded sorrowfully, understanding what he was saying to her.  It was the most she _could_ hope for under the circumstances. She realized, though, that if worse came to worse and she had to stay here, at least it would feel like she was with her family.

"Now, I think it's best that you relax a little bit.  I heard this morning that you like flowers.  Maybe you would like to pick a few for yourself?" Leo stood up from the bench and gently pulled Ramiela with him. "I'm sure Riahna would be delighted to show you where the extra vases are."

Rama brightened somewhat with the prospect of having a small floral bouquet in her room.  "Yes, I think I would like that – very much in fact."  However, she remembered something rather important, "But, the last time Riahna and I '_talked'_, she nearly squeezed me to death.  She seemed fixated about my – um – scars!"  She swallowed apprehensively, looking over at Riahna where the girl was still working in the garden.

"Mike has already talked with her and told her that she can look at but cannot touch them.  Riahna is very smart, Ramiela.  She won't do it again to you, okay?  You don't have to worry." Leo assured her.

"I guess you know just about everything that happened, eh?" Rama blushed, smiling a little.

"Hmm…Not everything, just everything regarding you!" and then Leo slapped her gently on the back of her shell good-naturedly. "Come on; let's get you some flowers, eh?"

"Keep it up and you'll end up knowing just as much about me as my own clan does." She teased lightly while Leo led her to the garden. 

Soon, Riahna was showing Rama the correct way to cut the flowers, telling her not to 'dawdle' about putting them into the water-filled flower-can.  "You must always make sure to do it quickly so the sap doesn't close off the pores." The girl explained. "Otherwise they can't drink the water too well."

Rama was quite impressed with the girl's vocabulary.  For one so afflicted with autism, Riahna talked almost normally.  However, she was still fixated on Rama's scars again.  She had the hardest time not staring at her. "I think they're pretty!" was all she would say, but at least she didn't squeeze Ramiela to death as she did the day before.

"Thanks Riahna" Rama said, _"At least someone in the family appreciates scars. She'd have a field day with my family, though." _Rama thought reflectively. She gazed around at the large garden with its flowers in various shades, species, and colors.  For a moment, she knelt down on the ground and dug her fingers into the warm earth, feeling the dirt around them.  She inhaled the scent of the dirt and flowers mingling together, closing her eyes as if to heighten the experience. Soon she heard the low droning buzz of a few bees as they went gathering pollen from the flowers.  The sun warmed her back as she watched the insects flit from flower to flower, burying their heads into the center of each as they gathered the pollen.  Ramiela suddenly felt very much at peace.

Rama had never in her life, been surrounded by so many flowers before, except perhaps for in the gardens of Central Park.  Yet, to have the freedom to pick them for her personal use was even better. With the countless private or public gardens in New York, they were only there to look at.  The clan would not be pleased with her if she had taken any them from these places.  Rama would lose honor because it would be stealing.  Not only that, but she would be preventing others from enjoying the beauty and enjoyment of those flowers as well.

Her favorites, though, were the roses.  Rama's love for these blooms brought her to understand all the meanings of their colors.  While Riahna taught her about the basic care to give them, Rama reciprocated by teaching her the meaning behind the different hues she saw growing in the garden.  Riahna thoroughly enjoyed listening to her new friend expound on this, smiling and seeming to have a more vested interest in her flowers.

Once Ramiela chose a vase and placed her freshly picked bouquet inside, she happily took her collection up to her room.  She thought the desk by the window would be a nice spot for them.  The sun's rays were presently warming that side of the house as it edged towards the west.  With sunset only a few hours away, the golden rays generously filled her window.  Rama sat on her bed and gazed at her flowers.  She felt peaceful for the first time since arriving as she looked at them and soon a smile creased her face.   Yes, it was hard to take the news of Splinter's passing in this world but Rama realized that he truly must have lived a very long time.  Perhaps his death here had been more of a blessing.   She knew that with age came many problems and ailments. Death might have been a release for the Master at that point in time and maybe it would have been selfish to try to maintain his existence in this world.  If what Leo said was true, the Master had gone peacefully because it was his time.  However, Leo was right about one thing.  Rama's Master would be waiting for her in the other one.  At least she had something to look forward to, although she had to acknowledge seeing a bit of longing in Leo's eyes when he was encouraging her_.  _

_"I can only imagine how difficult it must be for him to know that he has lost his, but I still have mine!"_  Rama felt sorry for her sensei, now, wanting so much to ease his grief.   Still, she had to admit, "_Yet, it is a path that all of us walk eventually.  Maybe seeing how this clan lives without their master will show me how to do likewise when it's my turn to experience such a loss.  Maybe it will help my own Sensei when the time comes, for I know it will probably be harder on him than anyone in our clan." _She sadly shook her head, not yet wanting to fathom such a thing.  "However, I hope it's a good long time before that happens."

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Dinnertime found Rama sitting across from where Devon sat, since Riahna had insisted on placing herself next to her new friend.  Riahna had developed affection for Ramiela where the newcomer had expressed a similar love for flowers.  Where everyone in her family had other pursuits, the girl reveled in finding someone with the same passion.  She, therefore, insisted on sitting next to Rama. 

However, with Riahna at one side of her and Leo at the other, this put Rama smack in the middle.  Much to her dismay, she found herself sitting directly across from her antagonist! 

Devon was ignoring her as best he could.  However, he was mindful that not only was his father and Don book ending him, Leo was sitting diagonally across as well.  It gave his uncle a perfect view to discern any ugly expressions from the boy.  Devon had originally tried to excuse himself from the meal, but Don and Leo both had given him a look that told him to reconsider.  With very little grumbling, he complied. 

Rama noticed right away that he had obviously reined in his attitude.  By whatever methods Leo might have used that resulted in such a change, Rama felt relief.  Though she was still hurt, at least she knew that Devon didn't get away with his stinging assault.  She kind of wondered what type of punishment he had to endure.  Leo did mention overhearing the insults his nephew threw at her.  She knew that in her clan repetitions of katas, cleaning and sharpening weapons, as well as writing long essays were favorite tools of discipline.  It was not lost on her that whatever it was that curbed Devon's demeanor definitely had worked!    Considering her own tendency to rebel, it gave her pause to imagine what he had to go through.

_"Must make a note to myself not to ever go there!" _she mused silently and then smirked to herself. _"If Devon's attitude can be so easily controlled by it, I surely do not want to experience it myself!  This sensei has already proven himself quite capable of 'getting his point across' with just one look alone!"_

The meal went uneventful, yet the conversation that ensued was quite interesting.  Don talked about some meeting in Germany he had to fly out to the next day.  Rama was quite intrigued to know what he did for a living.

"What exactly do you do, Don?" she asked curiously and then shoved a fork full of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"I'm into securities and investments.  I try to improve corporations, start up businesses where people need them most, make life a little better for people."  He answered as he, too, followed it up with a bite of food.

"Really?  Gee, you must be popular, then!  People must like you a lot, I guess!" she smiled.  The more she allowed herself to know this Donatello, the more she found her hostilities waning.  Her senses told her he had been quite sincere with his apology earlier.  _"Maybe we **can** be friends!"_ she hoped.

Raph nearly choked on his food with Rama's comment, however, but managed to get it down.  He glanced over towards Don, whose own eye ridges raised slightly.  Don replied, "Well, it would be nice if everyone did, but there are some who take exception to my involvement." 

Rama was surprised, "Why would anyone not want to be happier – unless it's because - um …."  She hesitated to say the word, not knowing if it would offend him.  After all, they did live among humans, so any mention of them being different might not be taken well.

Don finished for her, "That I'm a mutant?" He looked over at her thoughtfully as he chewed his latest bite of food. 

Rama blushed, "Well, where I come from, it's a big issue!" She then shrugged.

"Humph, yes, I'm sure it is," Don chuckled, "But it is the same here as well, yet not in such a profound way.  Many of those that oppose my values and me would rather intimidate and steal from the very ones I try to help.  It's the modern version of the problems we faced when the Foot were active.  More global, one might say."

"How do you handle situations like that?" She then asked.  Rama was now finished with her meal and was sitting back relaxed and content.  She did notice Devon glancing towards her now and then while she ate, but she deliberately chose to ignore him. 

Don replied, "Well, I try my best to work around problems of that nature, giving the opposing group opportunities to change their ways.  I talk first and if that doesn't work, then I try to buy them out.  If that fails, then I'm forced to deliver an ultimatum, but if that even proves futile – which is very rare – I just get rid of them."  Don took a sip of his wine as he finished his discourse, watching her all the while. 

Rama just stared, nearly slack jawed in shock.  Her peripheral vision caught a slight smirk on Devon's mouth, as if he was mocking her surprise.  Then, finding her voice again, she asked, "You dis-dispatch them, just because they didn't agree with you?"  Now, she wasn't so sure about Don, no not at all.  In one moment, he had completely upended his reputation with her and almost vilified himself.

Don looked over at her casually in surprise, "Dispatch?  No, I'd go in and make sure that the legal authorities took care of them.  Only in extreme cases where they brought out arms would I take it to that level, my dear!  I'm much more prone to plant compelling evidence that will put them away for many years than to kill them outright.  However, I have been known to do the latter, yet only when they bring the fight to my doorstep!"  Don smiled again and bowed in her direction as if accepting her concern.  "You do not have to worry about my being a gangster, Rama.  I take honor and integrity far too seriously to let my wealth and power dictate to me how I should behave."

Rama felt somewhat relieved and, yet, there was a hint that Don had neglected to tell her everything.  Raph's own expression during Don's explanation seemed to imply as much.  He was almost distant as if thinking about some unsettling experience.  Her senses had picked that up from him as well as from Mike, who sat quietly while focusing on his now empty plate.  Leo and Rahab both seemed to be the only ones at peace.  Maybe the others had been involved with these affairs of Don's while Leo, living in Japan, had been exempt, and Rahab was too busy taking care of the large house.  Regardless, Rama decided temporarily to put aside her earlier renewed trust in Don, if only so she could get to know him better. 

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It was a couple of hours after dinner and most of the family had retired either to the game room, the family room, or to their respective bedrooms.

Earlier, Raph had decided to return to the wharf area of San Francisco since he had a gig the next night at the Sandpiper Tavern.  He needed to practice with his group and had already missed a few days of it because of Rama.  However, when Rama listened in on that particular conversation, she thought it quite hilarious that he played a saxophone, "How can you possibly play such an instrument with only three fingers!" she howled.

Raph was somewhat offended by her remark, "I do quite well; I'm ninja, after all!" he was quite smug about it, which only increased the hilarity of it all for Ramiela.

"I really do need to watch you play.  Good golly, I'll never look at my Uncle Raphael the same way again.  In fact, I think if I ever get back home, I will never share that bit of information with him.  Nope, I don't think he'd appreciated that image one bit!"  She giggled. "Course, then again, he might be into playin' the blues."  Her giggles became more intense just thinking about it all.

All Raph could do was snort in disgust, yet he had to admit that seeing Rama laugh rather than seethe was a sight better all the way around.  He noted that Devon had also observed her change in demeanor.  Raphael sensed a piqued curiosity from his son that seemed a direct opposite from what he was feeling earlier.  However, just as quickly as it had surfaced, Devon shoved it back down.  His father found it all quite amusing.  Finally, he joined in with Rama's joviality, laughing as well, which had nearly everyone around the table doing likewise. 

Don, had business dealings to handle and, feeling that things were finally calming down, took off shortly after the evening meal.  Though he wasn't expecting to fly out to Germany until the next morning, with his own house only a couple miles away, there was crucial paperwork to go through for the meeting in Europe. 

"I will be back by the first of next week.  I'm sure by then you will be healed up rather well." He said to Rama.

They had been in the living room, away from the rest of the family.  He had wanted to talk with her to reinstate his sincerity.  "I am truly sorry, Ramiela, for the hurt I've caused you.  I'm very pleased, though, that for now you have forgiven me." 

Rama sensed a familiar gentleness that she had always attributed to her Uncle Donatello and, as best as she could sense, it was an honest one.  She was relieved to find his assertive posturing absent from him.  "Well, it was very difficult for me to see you like that since my own Uncle Donatello is never that way.  That's not to say he's never become exasperated with me and let me know it when he's had enough, though!"  She gave a gentle laugh and was pleased when Don returned the expression. She smiled a bit "Especially when he was trying to teach me my schooling lessons." 

"Yes, I'm sure he did.  Please understand that I also have great patience, Ramiela.  I guess we've both learned a lot from this experience."

"Yes, never assume too much or there'd be hell to pay!" Rama exclaimed with a twinkle in her eye.

"Hmm…you couldn't be more correct, my dear!" Don chuckled. 

Soon after, he left Mike's estate.

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Now, Rama was down in the dojo with Leo to begin her evening lessons with him.

"Well, since you're still healing, I think some simple katas should suffice." Leo suggested, "It's quite possible that you may have a different name for them, though.  Why don't you show me a couple of simple ones that you're familiar with."

"All right, sure." Rama replied.  She immediately went into a slowed version of the Ten No Kata.  After her traditional bow to Leo, she began by stepping forward with one leg but had both knees bent in a frontal presentation. Then, at the same time, she brought her arms up and forward as if jabbing left and right, then she held them up in front of her together for a brief moment.  Rama repeated this a couple more time, switching leg positions.  Then, the movements began to vary, with an occasional swift repetition and with the legs switching places again.  She executed the kata with a precision of someone who had practiced at it for years.  Leo watched in rapt fascination.

After a couple sets of these, Rama then went into the Tekki Shodan.  It was a short aggressive kata.   She began with a bow.  Then, she quickly crossed her left foot in front of the right, doing a short side step and then swiftly bringing her right foot up high in front of her.  She arched it back down hard just beyond and to the right of where it had been, forcing her to advance in that direction.  All the while, she kept her torso facing forward, but her head turned to the right.  Her arms worked equally aggressive, jutting and jabbing in sharp formation with the rest of her.  She went through a series of other moves but the entire kata took less than twenty seconds to complete, so she did three more sets.

Leo nodded approval, "You did quite well, considering your injuries.  Let me see them to make sure you haven't stressed any of the stitches."

Rama allowed her sensei to inspect them, feeling somewhat better after resuming a bit of her old schedule.  The workout barely winded her, which pleased Rama greatly.  One of her chief concerns was that she would lose some of her stamina while convalescing.

"Well, the stitches are nice and tight and not the least bit bothered.  I think in a bout three days the stitches could come out!"  Leo beamed.  "Continuing with my tea should accelerate further healing."

"When do you think I can start my regular routines?" Rama asked. "I kind of miss working with the sai and katana."

Leo cocked his head just a little and smiled, "I don't see why you can't already.  I wouldn't do anything too stressful, but working the swords or sai around shouldn't be any more so than the katas."

Rama smiled wide with Leo's permission to go back to her equipment, although she would be borrowing rather than using her own.  Hers were still back on top of that apartment roof or back in the lair if her dream from the other night was any hint.  She went over to the equipment display and began to check out the sai.  She tried to find one that had the right size and balance that she preferred before choosing a set to work with.  She twirled them experimentally and, content that they would suffice, moved to the middle of the room.

Rama began by slowly wielding the tools around.  She had already accepted Leo as her sensei so she forgot about the fact she was in a different world.  The girl slowly sped up the routine as she experimented with how hard and fast she could push herself.  She had to admit that the tea definitely had assisted in her healing for she found to her delight that there was very little pain to deal with now.  Faster she went, undercutting, and thrashing, slicing the sai through the air as if advancing upon an adversary.   In her mind, that adversary was Devon!  The more she thought about his scathing words, the more energy she put into her movements.  She hadn't gone ninja, yet, and really didn't want to.  It would have probably pushed the limits of her convalescing anyway.  The last thing that Rama wanted to do was to undo her healing.  She then twirled and spun the tools rapidly, throwing her arms out as she impaled her 'victim', holding back her yelp of satisfaction the way an efficient ninja should. 

Finally, after about five minutes, Leo clapped his hands once to signal the end of her kata.  "Excellent, Ramiela, I'm quite impressed.  I think if Raph were down here he would be very pleased with you."  Her sensei was beaming appreciatively. 

Rama beamed as well!  She had to admit that she felt rather good about it herself, having expended her frustration in the way it she was always encouraged to do whenever she was ticked off.  Yet, she still would love to get a chance to show Devon what it really meant to be ninja and – even better – what it looked like to _go_ ninja!  To that end, she would work in the event that fate would allow her that chance.  Even though Sensei would probably not sanction such a confrontation, Rama knew without a doubt that Devon would eventually know the bite of her kicks, if she had anything to say about it!

She shoved her desire down deep, though, far below where she would allow her teacher to sense.  Though she would honor Leo's leadership over her, forgiving Devon was never part of the deal.  Maybe he could change, but maybe that change would only happen once he faced her in sparring – or battle, whichever came first. Besides even Sensei couldn't have anything against her sparring with Devon. It was a natural part of practice. After all, it just might be the way to go about it.  It didn't really matter to the girl.  She wanted to prove her point, that she was more ninja than Devon could ever imagine.  Sitting across from him at dinnertime and catching the one smirk he gave her told Rama that he was still harboring the same ill feelings towards her.  His hateful words came back in that moment, setting off a long line of emotions that continued to badger her.

She was ugly to him and, therefore, not worthy of his time.

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**_LADY-CHRISTIAN-KNIGHT-88_**_: Well, here is the next chapter…is that fast enough for you?  :0)  Glad that you think so highly of this chapter, it was tough to write with Rama's emotions and all.  I LOVE roller coasters!  But, not emotional ones!  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_Sunsoul_**_: Ah, so you are a Rama fan, eh?__   Cool!  Yeah, Ramica and I sort of did this 'What If' thing about Rama and Gabby.  Gabby doesn't play as important a roll in this story as she did with Yosutebito Daughter, but then it's about Rama and how she handles temptations – not to mention surly iguanid males! :0)  Raph does run rampant in Devon, doesn't he?!  LOL  Oh, and I posted the Extreme Home Makeover story, btw.  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Ah, my prayers to you and your family and with your grandfather.__  It's the pits when we lose loved ones.  :0(   Oh, it's hard to see eye to eye sometimes and parents usually don't 100%.  Marriage is more than the honeymoon; it's about life!  And, sometimes life gets complicated.   Trust me, I know about these things!  Anyway, glad you still had fun in Tennessee!  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_DANCINGFAE_**_:  Oh, Devon is in a class by himself, believe me.  Yes, it was a hard chapter to write, but we needed to add the angst in there somehow, though I'm sure Rama would say just dealing with Devon is enough!  LOL  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_:  LOL Seriously, your reviews are a riot…always making me laugh.  You really ought to do a one-shot between you and Donnie.  Not sure about what, but rambling on sounds good to me!  :0)   Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Ah, it's hard to write chapters like this when everyone knows the outcome.  Yet, Rama didn't for sure know, so we had to explore that bit of angst.  Thanks for kudos as well as for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._


	20. Mixed Emotions

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Other than our PC's, our ideas, our ownerships of Ramiela, Gabby, and Mindy, Ramica and Reinbeauchaser deny any attempt to kidnap four chelonian shadow warriors and their mate and/or children.  We're only borrowing them until such time they prove uninteresting…that, or until they start demanding contracts.   _

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Chapter Twenty – Mixed Emotions

Ramiela woke to the blackness of night.  She then rolled over and looked at the clock, noticing that it read only twelve-thirty.  She sighed a bit, allowing herself to fall back against the bed again, disappointed. Here she was far from her home in every sense of the word but her body _insisted_ on maintaining its nighttime schedule. 

"How convenient." she mused quietly.

She really wouldn't mind being awake at that hour if there was something to make it worth the while, such as going on patrol or stomping down on the Foot.  Yet, she was, at present, a ways from the nearest town.  However, she doubted very much if there was enough crime there to worry about, making patrols somewhat senseless as she thought about it.  As for the Foot, Leo had all ready informed her that sort of action would be hard to find anyway.

_"This life might have its perks but night time was far more entertaining in the sewers."_ Rama mumbled to herself and then sighed a bit wistfully, saying aloud, "Ah, well guess that means I'm a warrior at heart."

She turned over and snuggled down under the blankets, relaxing her body and mind.  She did a short meditative exercise to control her breathing in an effort to lull her self to sleep again.  However, over an hour later she was still very much wide-awake and more energetic than before.

Rama groaned, kicking off the blankets to sit up.  She looked around and then decided to see what was happening outside.  She slipped off the bed and went over to look out the window.  As she peered out at the expanse of the backyard, Rama saw the deepness of the night shadows with the moon at half strength as it shined its faint light in the sky. She could almost hear the evening call out to her. Nighttime was her time; it was ninja time for her to roam.  In contrast, the day hours were more dangerous, the chance of people seeing her was far too great.  Yet, the blackness of the night provided the shadows that a ninja could use to his or her advantage.  Rama leaned her head against the coolness of the glass and sighed once again. "I have been one acquainted with the night." she whispered, quoting her favorite verse from the Robert Frost poem she loved so much.  _"Well since I'm not sleepy and I have some energy to burn I may as well do something useful.  A workout might be just what I need." _She said to herself, thinking about the dojo down in the basement.

She contemplated about braiding her hair back up, as she had let it down for the night, but Rama decided to let it hang loose instead.  It flowed in graceful waves just past the back of her knees.  Framing her face, it gave evidence to her femininity, softening the obvious scars she bore.  Yet her mind-set had been on the words that Devon had spewed at her, so she was blind to the allure the hair gave her.  Not even giving it a chance, she bypassed the dresser mirror as she made for the bedroom door.  She paused for just a moment, containing her breathing as she reached out with her senses.

Ramiela was fully aware that all the others in the house were sleeping in their own rooms.  However, she was also very much aware of how little it took to wake a ninja from a sound sleep.  Years of sneaking both out of and back into the lair, even those times when she shouldn't have, had taught her the importance of becoming truly invisible.  Full ninja training and the stealth of many long years of practice rose to the ready with ease.  She heightened her senses even more to warn her of anyone who might suddenly become alert.  She then distanced herself from her emotions and thoughts so that no one would be able to hear or sense her.

She knew that her Sensei at home had been proud of her for how well she could move through the sewers.   Back there she could walk without making the tiniest bit of noise or ripple in the water to betray her passing.  Of course, he had been expecting her to do well at it, considering her years of stealing her Uncle's weapon out from under his very nose.  Her exploits with Raphael's sai were the stuff of family lore, something that at the time had caused her great grief, but in the retelling something of pride.  It was a mixed bag all the way around, regardless of how one looked at it, though.

Rama recalled one of Sensei's early lessons to her on invisibility _"To be invisible you must become a small part of the night. You must be one with the wind and shadows, doing only what needs to be done.  Be completely devoid of all thoughts and emotions so no one's mind can feel you, no one's heart can hear you."_

Before descending, she remembered the squeak with the top step at the stairs, something she had noticed the first day when she had arrived.  Overreaching it for the second step, Rama easily made her way silently down to the bottom.  She crossed through the foyer and into the family room, making her way towards the basement door – which was slightly ajar.  It piqued her curiosity, knowing that with Mindy around they would keep such doors closed.  Then, her senses alerted her that someone was down in the dojo.  She paused for a moment trying to figure out who it was.  Judging from the amount of emotion that flowed up the stairwell, her guess it was Devon!  Her eyes went wide ever so slightly. 

For a brief moment, Rama felt a hint of disappointment.  She had so been looking forward to burning off her excess energy.  However, a slow mischievous smile crept across her face.  Right then, she realized she had the perfect opportunity to observe him unseen while he worked out.  Taking a peak at him in the dojo might actually give her an idea of what she was up against.  It would let her know exactly where he was in his training.  Rama knew she had accused him of being only a 'ninja wannabe'.  Yet she was very much aware that after six months of training with Leo, Devon's skills would be honed much like a recently sharpened sword.  Not wanting to underestimate his abilities, knowing what she was up against would give her an edge over him.  Then, she might be able to discern where she had to be before challenging him to a match. 

_"Know thy enemy!"_ she recalled reading one time.

Going deeper into the ninja mode of her training, Rama cautiously eased the door open, mindful that any sudden change in air current would alert the person downstairs.  She moved the barrier slowly, ever so, and after a couple of minutes, she had enough room to slip in and down the stairwell.   She went into stealth mode, moving on feather light feet, descending the stairs slowly and cautiously.  She kept her mind clear and her emotions in check.

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Earlier, Devon had found he couldn't rest.  His inner clock was still set on Japan's time.  Not only that, but he was also too worked up and frustrated over the long day of enforced katas and sparring.  Grumbling to himself, he blamed it all on the remarks he had made earlier about _'Raggedy Ann'_. 

"If she had just left me alone and hadn't bugged me…." He seethed under his breath, working his kata even harder.

Fully aware of the video system that was recording his every move, Devon ignored it as he was only working out to ease his tension.  Unless the trigger was switched off, the system turned on automatically whenever the door to the dojo opened.  Years ago, Mike had it secretly installed to prove Devon's abuse of the room, back when the boy was pretty much out of hand.  It had much to do with his relationship with his father, or lack of, but over the years, Devon had found some measure of self-control.   It helped that he and Raphael were on better speaking terms, too. 

He moved with speed and grace through the various katas before growling low and whirling about to attack the punching bag. He moved easily from the ichimonji no kamae stance, or the defensive posture, to attack the harmless bag with quick hard jabs from his fists and hard kicks from his feet.  The bag flew up in the opposite direction, returning with equal force, only to meet once again with another volley of hits.  It continued to swing high and away as it endured unmerciful punishment by its antagonist.

Devon recalled irritably the pinch of interest that had risen unbidden in him at the dinner table.   "_Man, if she had caught that she would have been all over me!"_ Devon berated himself.  "_Last thing I need is to encourage her!  She is such a pathetic ninja, she didn't even catch it," _he thought derisively, lashing out even harder at the bag.

Still he had to admit, if only to himself, that she had a very nice laugh and he sort of liked the way Rama had teased his dad about playing the sax.  Not too many in the family could get away with that, he mused.  Yet, nice laugh or not, Ramiela was still a pretty pathetic and worthless ninja, otherwise she would have been aware of his momentary lapse in that moment.

_"If she had caught it she'd be following me around like a stray mongrel." _he told himself.  She might talk ninja but as far as Devon was concerned, talk was cheap and meant little if you couldn't back it up.  Judging from her numerous scars on her, she didn't know enough ninjitsu to prove herself effective.  _"She has nerve though I'll give her that.  Not just anybody would go up against me when I'm mad at them."  _The thought came unbidden and he struck out at the bag harder as if to blame it for the random thought.  _"She still went off and cried like a baby though. Some ninja SHE is!"_ He scoffed inwardly, leaping into a tornado kick and striking the bag with his tail as he whipped around.  The bag swung viciously even more, but as it came back it continued on, unhindered.  That was because Devon, for the moment, was distracted.

He had stopped, sensing something from the stairway.  Devon turned and thought he saw a glimpse of long dark hair and some shell heading swiftly back up the stairs.  He sneered slightly as he watched the retreating form.  Scowling to himself and wondering how long she had watched him before he had even known she was there, he ordered, "Get out, Ramiela, if you know what's good for you!"

He muttered under his breath a series of unintelligible words, making them sound like a curse.  The part of Devon's training that was able to observe and note the smallest thing, gave him a clear image of Rama's retreat.  He saw an image of long cascading hair covering her carapace and arms, hiding some of the scars under the dark strands.  It almost made her seem pretty and, yet he knew in that moment as he sensed it, that the image was one he would have a hard time forgetting.  He again whirled angrily back to the punching bag but with renewed determination, sending it even higher up into the air than before! 

"STUPID!" he ranted loudly as he berated himself for not keeping his senses alert.  "That's _all_ I need!" he continued on, complaining to himself as he flailed the punching bag with abusive energy.   He continued on for several more minutes, working harder and faster until he had expired his last bit of energy.  Spent and frustrated, Devon finally slumped to the floor of the dojo, expertly listing to one side to avoid the descending bag.  He held his head in his hands as he shook it dejectedly, "What is going on with me?" 

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Finally, out of the stairwell and outside, Ramiela stepped over by the pool and sat down by its edge.  She was careful not to sit on her hair, shifting it to one side, as she settled down to dangle her feet into the water.  She could feel her heart thump hard under her plastron and her face growing slightly warm as she tried to calm herself from what she had just witnessed.  While she was down in the stairwell, she had no choice but to beat the hasty retreat when she did.  Her unbidden emotions that fought to emerge ended up warning Devon of being watched.

Yet she saw enough to know that he was very good at what he was doing.  At the very least, she had to give him credit for that. His movements were clean flowing and delivered with the speed and accuracy of a striking snake.  His head and bare chest glistening with sweat from his workout, the ease of his breathing proving the stamina he possessed.  His well-muscled form rippled with each stroke and hit, making him seem larger as a result. She hated to admit this to herself, considering their conflict with each other, but he was so _hot _in her mind!  She could almost feel the heat and the intensity that was coming from him.  Consequently, Rama felt a deep longing in the pit of her gut.

_"Oh yeah Rama girl, just go ahead and fall for a jerk who thinks you're ugly and not worth his time. You're really that hard up?"_ She chided herself, "_I mean, face it - you must really hate yourself if you go for the likes of him!"_

A low whimper escaped her throat, though.  She had sensed his conflicting emotions, but she hadn't wanted to probe too deeply for fear of betraying her presence to him.  Was he thinking about her?  She couldn't tell and she didn't really want to know; not after the way he had insulted her earlier.

_"Flowing, graceful, strong…why does he have to be such a baka, though? Wait a minute that's an insult to Baka."_ she thought amusingly of her cat back home, _"Still, Devon hates me and thinks I'm ugly. If a mutant considers me that way, I don't stand a chance with a human. I'm a freak even amongst my own kind and destined to die a virgin."_ Rama concluded bitterly.

_"Why does Devon have to be so incredibly…buff…so…good…in every other way?"_ She sniffed reluctantly.  Her body trembled slightly as she recalled his tornado kick and the way he used his tail as well as his feet.  _"Hmmm, that boy can sure swing a tail, though."_ she murmured to herself, the thought seeming to cause her aching loneliness to intensify.

Rama shook her head in an effort to clear her mind.  As she recalled Devon's workout in the dojo and realized that if she _did_ get a chance to spar with him, she would have to keep in mind the way that he used his tail.  It could most definitely hit hard enough to break skin and possibly even break bone, depending on the kind of impact.  It was an added weapon to the usual foot and hand strikes in unarmed combat, one many opponents might overlook simply because they were used to fighting people who didn't have tails to use.  As Rama thought about this, she recalled Cathy coming home one day with long scratches down her arms and one huge red welt on her right shoulder.  Rama's dad jokingly had asked Cathy who had beaten up on her or if she was trying to commit seppuku.

Cathy's reply had been simple "We were moving the Iggy's to their new home and some didn't appreciate the fact."

Her dad had laughed, "Girl, we need to teach you some ninjitsu if you're going to let a little lizard beat up on ya. I mean, c'mon, if a lizard does that to you, I can just imagine what you'll look like with a tiger."

Cathy then told him that Iggy's or Iguanas were not actually little lizards.  In spite of their size, she had said they could be quite intimidating.  In fact, she told Rama about one young Iguana who had managed to hold off two cats and a couple of small dogs.  With nothing more than a threatening posture, it had a mouth ready to bite with a tail ready to whip out at any one who came near it. 

Thinking about what her step-mom told her, Rama realized that she could not overlook this natural weapon that Devon had over her.  It could mean the difference between winning or in losing the match.  Of course, she realized his surly attitude might be from the Iggy side of his mutation.  As she considered this, though, what would he do if she started calling him Iggy?  Shaking her head and smiling just a little, Rama knew that Leo would probably have her do a dozen katas and maybe one hundred back flips to punish her.   _"No, more than likely Devon's had that moniker thrown at him as well as lizard boy!"_ she thought ruefully.

Ramiela then sighed, trying a meditative exercise to bring things back into perspective and regain control of her emotions.  _"It's not good feeling like you desperately want him, Rama.  All he's going do is hurt you and chase you away because he doesn't want you near him."_ she advised herself.

After a time and still achieving very little control on her mixed-up emotions, Rama quietly slipped back into the house. She soon sensed that Devon was no longer in the dojo and that suited her perfectly well.  She knew she needed that workout more now than ever before.  Only now, she needed it not only to burn off energy to sleep but to get back into shape in order to challenge Devon.  She also had to find a way to rid her mind of the thoughts about how incredibly good Devon looked while he worked out.  It would only haunt her with a forbidden desire, one that would elude and frustrate her.  If there was one thing that Rama hated more than anything else, that was spinning her wheels needlessly.

As she entered the dojo and looked over the weapons display, she had a sudden desire to work with the double katana.  Since Leo had approved her use of the weapons earlier, she gladly gave into it.  Rama knew she had to go carefully so she wouldn't damage her quickly healing injuries.  The last thing she wanted to do was to set her recovery time back.  However, she was also determined to push herself a little harder than she had in her lesson with Leo.

In no time at all, she was going through the motions of her katas as a skilled dancer.  Using the swords as her partner, her moves came naturally and with swift finesse.  Her hair whipped and lashed about as she turned to attack her imaginary opponents, adding a beauty among the more serious exercise.  As time went by, her body began to relax with the familiar maneuvers and when she was done, she felt far more at ease.  Rama suddenly gave a large yawn, happily realizing how tired she had become. Content to have achieved her goal, she placed the weaponry away where she had retrieved them and slipped silently back up to her room.

Before crawling back into bed, however, she went into the bathroom to check her stitches to ensure she hadn't pulled them loose or broken any wounds open.  Fortunately, they looked all right to her practiced eye.  In fact, they seemed more healed that when Leo had checked them earlier.  Grateful for that, Ramiela returned to the bedroom.  She gratefully crawled back into bed with thoughts of challenging Devon and a smile creasing her face as she slipped into slumber.

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_Ramica will add her comments to the reviews once Reinbeauchaser returns from the Philippines.  Those comments will be posted on the next chapter, which will upload after August 14th.  In the meantime, the following comments are from Reinbeauchaser – _

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Hey, loved your story; it was easy to review!  Don't sweat not reviewing mine, okay?  No rule that says you have to.  It was nice that you stopped in, though, and left a word or two of encouragement!  :0)  Yeah, things are settling in for Rama, but there are still some 'issues' that need addressing.  Soon enough, I can promise!  Thanks for reading and reviewing!  Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_: Good grief, another 'story' review!  :0)  Love these so much.  Memoirs?  Ah, now there's a thought.  Okaaaayyyy.  Donny's smart, this is true.  So is VestqueX!  Love your reviews so much! LOLOL  Okay, well, maybe you can explain what a Nookie is?  Hmm??  Anyway, glad you're enjoying the interaction between R&D.  And, yes, I'd have to agree with Don – Dev would put you AND me AND Ramica out to dry. One has to outwit him in order to beat him.  I figured that out when he last visited me!  Trust me, it was a close call…didn't think he'd fall for that threat I gave him. As it's turning out, he may very well be stuck with Shari as his nursemaid!  I'm devoid of ideas for that story!  LOL  Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_:  Good grief, hold yer horses.  Is that all you think about is fighting?  Action?  Beating people up?  Yeah, me too.  Credit Wendy for putting a sax in Raph's hands.  Not sure why she did that unless, like you, she's had some experience with it.  We do like to add our own quirks to the TMNT's, don't we!  Anyway, don't know about the flow of the story; I'll have to re-read it again to see what you mean.  As for this chapter, it may be a little slow, but always remember there's a 'calm' before the storm!  LOL  Thanks for reading and reviewing.  Be blessed._


	21. Discoveries

_DISCLAIMER: Nope, we're just two very poor gals who love to write about the TMNT's and torture them. Ownership is not nor had it ever been part of the package. Our only payback is the reviews we get from those generous readers who enrich our lives with their faithful reading. We love all of you to pieces! _

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Chapter 21 – **DISCOVERIES**

As Mike came down the stairs, he yawned wide, taking the steps in casual strides. He worked his shoulders a little to rid himself of the last vestiges of sleep and then decided that maybe a small workout before starting breakfast would feel good. Although retired from 'active duty' nearly two decades earlier, Mike had tried to keep his skills sharp. The invasion on his home a few years back had proven he could never allow himself to lose his edge, as he and his family could never become totally complacent.

Heading through the family room towards the dojo, Mike casually noticed the small flashing blue light just above the crown of the stairwell door. At first, he didn't react, but then as he closed in on the doorway, it dawned on him. In years past, it told him that someone had entered the training room unscheduled. However, it had been quite a while since that had happened. Mike realized right then that someone had tripped it since the evening before.

His interest piqued considerably.

Originally, he had the video surveillance system installed to curb Devon's abuse of the room downstairs. In his early teens, the boy had taken up the habit of trashing the dojo any time he had conflicts with Mike or the clan in general. Devon had rebelled over all the rules and by laws that were part of belonging to a ninjitsu family. Consequently, he destroyed their equipment as his way of expressing that rebellion. It became an expensive problem all the way around. Yet, Devon would flatly deny doing such a deed. As a result, Mike installed a series of security cameras and alert systems into the room to prove the boy was responsible. In the end, it successfully curbed Devon's degenerate behavior and helped to get him back on track with the clan.

Now, even though he didn't need the alarm anymore, Mike used the recording system on almost a daily basis for training purposes. It assisted him, as well as his brothers when they were visiting, to improve their ninja skills.

Curious as to who would have been working out, Mike headed into the small side room across from the basement door where he kept the monitoring equipment. He immediately turned the alert light off and pushed a few buttons on the console to bring the DVD to the beginning. Once he had done that, Mike hit the 'play' button, sitting himself down in the chair to get comfortable. As the image came onto the screen, he checked the time. He noticed that the alarm triggered twice during the night, which only increased his interest all the more.

"Who would be down there at that hour?" he asked himself in wonder as he shook his head. "And twice at that?"

Immediately, as the person on the DVD walked into the middle of the room, Mike knew the first 'visitor' was his stepson, Devon. He nodded to himself as the boy looked straight up towards one of the ceiling-embedded cameras. Devon bowed low and then straightened up, his lopsided grin proving his relationship to his father. He had learned about the cameras when presented with the evidence of his disobedience years ago and, now whenever he worked out, he only flaunted his arrogance with a traditional bow. After a few moments of stretching, the young ninja began a series of katas, slowly working up to a combative pace. Mike smiled a little as he recognized that the boy was putting more into the exercise than he normally did, evidence that he was venting steam. The turtle chuckled to himself, fully aware of the problems that Devon was having with Rama. Yet, it still surprised him. With his stepson's extra practices that he was subjected to earlier, one would think he would have had more than enough of the dojo for one day. Then again, to some degree, Devon had probably allowed Rama to get under his skin and was now only trying to work off the irritation. Mike noted that even Devon's form was not as relaxed as it should have been.

"Yep, he's definitely pissed off!" the turtle sniggered out loud. Mike grinned slightly and gave a rueful shake of his head, _'Perhaps, now, Devon will mind his manners and leave Ramiela alone today.'_ Mike mused to himself, _'Then again, when has that boy ever spared himself trouble?' _"Too much like his father; he can't learn things the easy way, no matter how old he gets!" Mike whispered to himself.

He watched for a few minutes more and then skipped over the remainder of Devon's workout. He was curious as to who else had used the training room. As Mike advanced the DVD through the boy's session to where Devon was leaving the dojo, he allowed the picture to continue its fast-forward pace. He suddenly startled, his eyes going wide as the DVD showed Rama stepping off the bottom step. Mike straightened up a bit in his chair, completely unprepared and hit the pause button of the recorder. He had figured the second visitor to the room would be Leo. It wasn't unusual for his oldest brother to get in a kata or two during the night, especially where he was still adjusting to a different time zone. However, Rama was a complete surprise to him. Mike then allowed the DVD to resume, his elbows on the console while resting his chin on his fisted hands. Unlike with Devon, who would always acknowledge the cameras, Rama was obviously unaware of them. Mike watched the video as she went straight to the cabinet where his and his brothers' weapons were and withdrew two katana. His eye ridges arched up in sudden surprise. He knew that it took a great deal of strength and stamina as well as skill to wield the two longer heavier swords. Even those who were adept in the art of ken-po would often falter the longer they worked a pair of katana. The fact that Rama didn't even hesitate in choosing them told Mike that this was something she was used to doing. He knew that Rama was a kunoichi and she probably trained as much as they had done during their youth. Yet that didn't mean she would have the endurance to work with the swords, especially as she wasn't anywhere near to being in top form due to her injuries. Though she was healing nicely, she was still recovering.

As Ramiela began with a difficult series of ken-po katas, Mike sat there with his eyes glued to the monitor. He scrutinized each move Rama made as if waiting to see one moment of faltering, a chance misstep or something that told him she wasn't that strong.

It wasn't that he doubted Leo's word about Rama's other life, but where he knew so little about her, everything she did seemed to surprise him. He himself had sensed her sincerity and the pride she had in who and what she was. The fact that she was so young and still recovering from her injuries made him doubt, causing him to second-guess what he was watching. Yet as he continued to observer the girl, Mike smiled in admiration over the artistry he saw in the mixture of katas she executed. Rama went from simple to very complex without losing form or speed, her long hair flowing about and her swords slashing with every move she made as she attacked her unseen foes.

He couldn't help but burst out laughing, slapping his knee, "I'll be surprised if that girl doesn't end up giving herself a haircut." Then, he became a little more serious as he thought, _'Leo ought to see this, he'll want to know, 'specially as he's taken her under his wing.'_ Mike thought as he took the DVD disk out of the recorder and tucked it away in a side drawer. He would hold onto it for the time being until he had a chance to speak with his older brother. Then, after shutting everything down in the monitor room, he slipped out through the door. Making for the one across the hallway, Mike stepped silently down the stairs of the dojo to work out.

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After Mike finished his usual set of katas, he took a quick shower in the dojo's restroom. Then, refreshed and his mood escalating to a nauseating cheerfulness, Mike raced back up the stairs to start breakfast. As he entered the kitchen, he paused for a moment to peer out the window over the kitchen sink. He soon noticed Leo returning from a jog with Ramiela close behind him in typical student fashion. Mike watched as Leo stopped and then observed as the girl dropped down obediently to the patio's flagstone floor. Crossing her legs into a lotus position at Leo's feet, she soon began a meditative exercise. He could tell that she had her senses totally focused on Leo, a complete change in her demeanor from only the day before. Relief flooded Mike as he realized that Rama had easily accepted his brother as her sensei. Considering what Leo had told all of them, though, it wasn't too big of a surprise. Since the girl had been trained by his younger twin, it was a given that her obedience was more of a transference of respect.

_"Now, if only she can come to accept the rest of us the way she has with Leo.'_ Mike sighed a bit, knowing that it would happen in time. Maybe it wouldn't be too hard or difficult either, where since calling the truce Rama had been far more agreeable. Now, knowing more about the skills with which she owned, he realized what a good thing it was to make peace with her when they did. If what he saw on the DVD had been only an example of what Rama was capable of, then they would have been in some serious trouble with her for sure.

Shortly, Mike noticed the training session had ended as Ramiela stood and exchanged bows with Leo. They then talked quietly together, an obvious friendship forming that warmed Mike's heart. It was good that the girl was finally connecting with someone while she was here, for it would make getting along with her that much easier. He then went about preparing breakfast.

Soon after, they entered the kitchen and discovered Mike in the middle of making pancakes.

Rama smiled "Morning Mike, want some help?" she offered quickly, "I could set the table for you, if I – ah - only knew where everything was, or I could take over the cooking while you set things up if you'd like."

Mike gave her a skeptical look, asking, "Are you feeling all right Rama?" He cocked an eye ridge at her curiously, as he flipped a couple of pancakes over in the electric skillet.

Rama nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine, why?" she wondered curiously, resting against the counter as she faced him.

"Well, for one thing the only time I've ever known my kids to want to help out is when they want something from me." Mike replied with a wry grin.

"In my family, everyone except the babies are expected to do chores to help keep the place running. 'Sides I ought to do something for me keep." Rama smiled, "Wouldn't be polite to just go being a lazy bum, now would it?" She then gave a wickedly sly grin, "And I promise I won't burn or put poison into anything. Dad taught me all I know about preparing food."

Mike just scoffed at her lighthearted joke, flipping another pancake over, "So between ninjitsu and things you have to do around the home, do you ever have time for any fun, Rama?"

"Fun – as in spare time? You really think I have that?" Rama joshed quickly, her eyes sparkling with mischief and pleased to see Mike joining in with her as much as her own dad would.

"C'mon, your family can't be slave drivers. They must let you have some fun." Mike insisted, carefully putting the now cooked pancakes onto the plate with the ever-growing pile of the breakfast flatbreads.

"Easy for you to say. They haven't used the whips and chains, yet." Rama teased and then she shook her head, "No, actually I have time to do my own thing, we all do. My form of helping though is to look after the younger ones or assist in preparing meals."

Leo picked up an apple and, before he took a bite, asked her, "What do you like to do in your spare time; something you do for you."

"Just for me, oooh, how sinfully decadent can you get?" Rama replied with a chuckle, "Well, I read all sorts of things, or I draw. I like to sing different songs, too."

Leo smiled now, "You and Gabby have something in common then. She has quite a stunning voice that she inherited from her mother."

"Really? Gabby sings too?" Rama asked glancing Leo's way.

"Very much so. She'd love to sing on Broadway in fact…" Mike admitted, "…that is if Don would let her...anyway, Rama…take over while I set the table."

Rama accepted the flipper from Mike and took her place by the stove. As she watched the newly dropped pools of pancake batter bubble on the hot skillet, she commented, "Not too many people in my family are interested in singing, and I'm probably no where near as good as Gabby if her voice is that great. However, my family says I have a pretty voice." she chuckled a bit "Of course they could be prejudiced about that."

Leo shook his head "You don't think you have a good singing voice, Rama?"

"In all honesty I probably have an average voice. I don't break windows with it but it isn't going earn me very much either. Not a lot to write home about, you know." Rama confessed, "Though Master Splinter does love to hear me sing some of the old Japanese songs." She paused then, thinking about the Master for a moment and wondering if she would ever see him again.

Leo sensed her sudden melancholy mood. He figured he knew the reason behind it as well with the sudden change seeming to erase any hint of the light hearted joking Rama had done just a moment ago. Leo opted to distract her from some of these feelings. "What other things do you like to do?"

Rama turned and gave him a small smile as she flipped over a pancake, lobbing it up into the air where it came back down and landed on the skillet right where it had been originally. She replied, "I taught myself how to juggle and Dad taught me how to do magic tricks and ventriloquism. It helps entertain the children when they get fussy. 'Course, being a ninja, I guess some of that stuff just comes naturally anyway." Rama replied, shrugging just a little and putting her focus back to the skillet.

"True, those things can be used as a form of distraction against an enemy." Leo accepted easily, "Anything else?" He smiled as he began to appreciate the ease his student had now about sharing her life with them.  
  
Rama cocked an eye ridge mischievously as she answered, "I'm known at home to play the occasional practical joke. Remember, I told you about how I tried running my future step-mother off?"

"Yes" Leo said. "I do remember." He studied the girl as she proceeded to flip the remaining pancakes over.

"Well I played some pretty unfriendly jokes on her." Rama stated somewhat impassively and gave a simple shrug. She then continued to watch the hotcakes, somewhat lost in her thoughts.

"Practical jokes can be harmless for the most part but they can get out of hand, too. I know Mike used to drive us crazy with some of the stunts he used to pull. You must get that from him." Leo commented and then took another bite of his apple.

"Uh-uh, Leo," Mike complained, "No way...I'm not accepting any blame for that. We agreed she isn't really mine so she must get that from my twin. That is if he's like me." Mike corrected.

"He is, at least from some of the stories I've heard from the clan. In fact, Dad still plays a few of them once in awhile. Although, for the most part, he leaves that stuff to me now. He says I can come up with ideas that he'd never even thought about." Rama laughed.

"Ohhh, boy, well I guess if you only do them once in a while it can't be all that bad." Mike decided. It was quite normal in his family for one of the children to pull some stunt on one another or on an adult. Gaele snapping the now-famous picture of Seth while he was snooping in Gabby's closet before they were married and then Seth throwing Gaele in the pool after the wedding as his rebuttal were just two examples. Mike was quite willing to take Rama's tricks in stride. She probably couldn't come up with much worse then any one else had so far, anyway.

Leo didn't see a problem with Rama playing a few practical jokes, so long as she didn't get carried away with it or do something too outrageous. Where he was already used to his own brother's antics, it would probably be a walk in the park, all things considered. In the end, he could most likely overlook the whole situation.

Mike prepared the rest of the table while Rama finished with the pancakes. As she was ladling more batter into the skillet and her focus on cooking, he subtly gestured for Leo to follow him. He gave an almost undetectable nod towards the stairwell door.

_"What's up, Mike?"_ Leo asked with his eyes as he followed his brother into the monitor room. He knew his brother well enough to realize that he had a good reason for grabbing his attention, the very quiet way he did was almost ninja in quality. He followed him into the small room with Mike closing the door behind him. He didn't want Rama becoming curious about why they had left, so he was taking all precaution to avoid that situation.

"Your student decided to give herself some extra practice during the night while the rest of us were sleeping!" Mike replied in a low whisper, "Look at what the girl can do with a pair of katana."

Leo's eyes widened slightly as his curiosity piqued. He sat down in the chair and watched as Mike switched things on. He brought the DVD up to where it showed Ramiela on the monitor entering the dojo. Then Mike brought the DVD down to normal speed. As Leo watch the DVD, a small smile started to play out on his face. The more he watched, the larger it grew! He had all he could do to keep from exclaiming his excitement out loud, which would have been uncharacteristic for him anyway. Truth all told, he didn't want Rama or anyone else in the house to hear him or know what they were doing. As the person on the view screen went through a series of routines with the finesse of a master, Leo and Mike watched in silence.

As the DVD continued to play on, Mike commented, "I have a feeling Devon will be in for a bit of a surprise if he ever ends up sparring against her." Mike then said, "'Course, I also have the feeling Rama would love to put him in his place in true ninja style, too."

"I know; I get the same feelings from her. I'm amazed she didn't end up ripping out some of her stitches with that work out, though." Leo admitted as he watched Rama finished her set on the DVD. Then, he entreated, "Mike, do me a favor, don't let Devon see this. I don't want him or anyone else knowing what he could be in for."

"Are you playing favorites, Leo?" Mike teased gently, cocking an eye ridge at his brother.

"No, not really, but if she continues to act properly towards Devon as I've encouraged her to do, then I don't see why I can't let her take him to the mat to prove her point to him."

"Fair enough, Bro." Mike agreed, "Now, let's get us some breakfast."

As they prepared to leave the monitor room, they heard Devon's voice boom from what seemed to be near the kitchen.

"Next time you try spying on me, Rags, be a bit more subtle about it!"

"Yeah, I know Devon, I am just a _pathetic worthless ninja_ and that's why I gave myself away, right?" Rama asked indifferently, but she bristled inwardly just the same at his comment. _"How could I possibly ever like him?" _she asked herself silently. She flipped the current pancakes over in the skillet, one at a time, keeping her eyes on them but her mind on her antagonist.

"That's right, Rags! Glad you're finally realizing this little bit of truth." Devon sneered contemptuously. He wasn't about to let the stray erratic thought from the night before get in his way of driving this girl off. "Probably the first and only time you've seen a real ninja, anyway."

Rama turned towards him, giving Devon a coy smile. "You're so correct on that! Yet, how else am I to learn about being a ninja if I don't get to see one 'work'?" she asked ever so sweetly and as innocently as she could.

"Look, I don't need you learning from _me_. Leo has taken you on as his student so go ahead and learn all you can from him. Trust me, you need it" Devon retorted sharply. He could see that her hair was done up again but his mind flashed to another image of her with her hair down and flowing all about her. However, he quickly shoved that thought aside, determined not to be distracted. He bolstered his resolve with a sneer and a snort.

"Fine, then I will learn from Leonardo all that I can. He's an excellent sensei and very knowledgeable about many things." Rama replied willingly, "Just do _me_ a favor and I'll do you an equal turn. If you hate me so much, stay away from me and then I'll stay away from you." Rama insisted coldly. It was getting harder and harder for her to find anything to like about this egotistical mutant lizard.

About that time, Mike and Leo came out of the monitor room, making for the kitchen. Devon noticed them immediately from where he was, glanced warily their way, and wondered what, if any thing, they might have heard. However, they seemed oblivious to the war of words that had raged on moments before between him and Rama. Not getting any kind of a sense or look from them, Devon decided that they hadn't heard anything at all, at least not enough to incriminate him for insubordination.

Rama smiled as she turned to face them, aware of Devon's unease, "Last batch of pancakes are almost done." she reported cheerily. She gave her nemesis a sideways glance, sneering just a little at him through her smile.

Devon smirked back and turned away from her, heading for the dining room and as far from 'Rags' as he could get and still be able to eat breakfast.

Mike nodded as he watched his stepson retreat. Leo was right. It seemed the only way Devon might learn to leave Rama alone or to give her a measure of respect was to allow the girl to take him to the mat. Keeping her true skill hidden from the boy until that time was the right course of action to take. Then, if Rama were indeed ready, she would give Devon a lesson he would never forget or be able to ignore.

The turtle chuckled under his breath as he recalled the skills she displayed on the DVD, _"I just hope that I'm there to witness it!"_

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**_Ramica's comments were unavailable for chapters 18, 19, and 20 due to her computer crashing – and my being out of the country. Now that it is fixed (and I'm back!) she can comment, update, and be among the world once again! :0) So, I will let her remark about the reviews for said chapters. Be blessed._**

_:_

_To all reviewers: I hope I haven't missed any of our reviewers and if I have, please forgive me for my error. Your reviews are all greatly appreciated it is just I wasn't able to communicate much with Reinbeauchaser before she left due to numerous hackers getting into our computer and causing it to crash. My brother has repaired it and now I can comment on the last three chapters that Reinbeauchaser posted before leaving on her trip.___

_Chapter 18:___

_Vesteque X : Can things get better? Well only time will tell.___

_As for that sexy lizard boy trust me you will be seeing more of him. Funny! I noticed when you see him you want to kill him, when you don't see him, you still want to kill him. Dev just isn't safe with you.___

_Pretender Fanatic: We weren't trying to make people cry, at least not to my knowledge.___

_Danceingfae: How Rama goes about it is coming up very quickly. Splinter's loss still hurts and no it doesn't hurt less for I think Rama is aware that if she can't get home her beloved Master is lost to her. Of course Devon has feelings! Whether empathy is one of those feelings I don't know I guess we will have to see.___

_Sailor Vegeta: It is never easy losing one you love no matter how well prepared you might be for the news. I sympathise with your own uncertainties about your grandparent who has cancer. I know both of my grandparents are old and have had some very close calls.___

_One can only take it one day at a time and pray for the best. As for Rama she will continue and go on because that in the end is what life is about.___

_Sunsoul: Yes, there is no doubt who is Devon's father course Rahab probably contributed some to his attitude as well. As for your favourite show being on in a parallel world well it all depends on what parallel world you end up in.___

_Lady Christian Knight: Yes, Leo has Rama well cared for and I hope your own emotional rollercoaster has come to a halt by now. Take care.___

_Chapter 19:___

_Pretender: Forget how Stella got her groove back we have to get our flow back? Has it come back yet?___

_So you play sax huh? Tenor sax, or alto?___

_VestequeX: Devon/ Rama interaction might be a lot more of that coming up, then again maybe not.___

_As for dissecting Don. Rama has never had much respect for, nor been that close to her own Uncle Donatello and this one's actions have made him rather suspect in her mind. Though I have a feeling this Don might end up keeping Rama on her toes, all ten of them.___

_Gemdrive 2000: Yes Rama can play nice when she wants to and when it suits her and then there are other times...when it is dangerous to let her out. Thanks for your review.___

_Chapter 20:___

_Pretender Fanatic: Devon hot?Rama sure thinks so. If Devon comes around well, only time will tell and next chapter will be posted by the time you have returned.___

_Danceingfae: Confusion and young love. Poor Rama is torn and Devon is a bit torn himself. As for a fight hopefully bringing Devon around well keep reading and see if maybe you are right? Possibly you are wrong. You do have a fifty- fifty chance you know.___


	22. Clash of the Warriors

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: No ownership means no money. Just the way it is. Again, we own only the obvious and deny any attempt to declare TMNT's and their associates our property. Rest easy, Eastman and Laird, you don't have any worries – except how to resurrect our heroes in a half shell once again onto the big screen. _

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Chapter 22 – Clash of the Warriors

Rama spent the next few days keeping occupied and away from Devon as much as possible. It wasn't that she ran in the other direction when she saw him coming, but it seemed to her that he never passed up an opportunity to tease her about her looks. Of course, it was always done out of earshot of Mike and Leo, usually when they were either outside or down in the dojo. Yet, despite Leo's encouragement and her own, Rama was more than ever, doubting her physical appearance. Devon's constant acerbic remarks made it harder and more difficult for her to accept her scars as something that she should be proud of. She longed to retaliate and teach him a lesson but she kept herself in check, knowing to do otherwise would only make things worse.

_'Patience, Ramiela. When the opportunity is right, strike hard.' _She reminded herself.

In the meantime, she did her best to avoid him. When she could, Rama went to visiting Gabby and Seth and being a playmate to Mindy.

"You sure seem to have a way with her, Rama!" Gabby remarked one time. Currently, her daughter was ensconced in Ramiela's lap while building towers again. This time, the toddler was placing the blocks five high before toppling them over. Rama would count with the little girl as each block was stacked up on another and then cheered as the blocks fell over.

"Well, I've had my share of experiences with my younger cousins. The way it looks in my lair, I'll be surrounded by babies for quite a while. One can't help but learn how to interact with them, I guess." Rama commented.

Gabby watched the girl as she worked the blocks with Mindy. She knew about the trouble her brother was giving her and had wanted to step in to set him straight. Yet, both Seth and Leo had told her not to, that things would even out eventually. Still, it was hard for her, knowing about the verbal exchange between Rama and Devon, and knowing full well how incorrigible her brother could be. She wanted very much to encourage Rama, but she was denied even that. "Rama needs at least one area of her life here where she doesn't have to explain herself where Devon is concerned." Seth had told his wife, "If she has to manage him even in our home, then she doesn't have any place to be outside of his influence." Though it was difficult, Gabby made a point to create as safe an environment in her home for Rama as she could. That is, if Mindy didn't start talking about him. He was, after all, her favorite uncle, if only because he was her only uncle! So far, the child seemed too enamored with her new friend even to think of Devon at the same time.

Despite her attempts to sleep when everyone else did, late at night Rama would slip down to the dojo and work out for a while. It helped considerably to dispense of her pent up frustration over Devon. Yet she also found it relaxing to the point where it helped her adjust to her new schedule. Though she still woke up voluntarily when the rest of the household was asleep, she found herself waking later during the night than she was used to.

"Perhaps I'm getting used to not going out on patrol?" she mused a little sadly one time. In all honesty, Rama rather enjoyed patrolling, looking for the Foot, and then doing a little city 'house cleaning'. It gave her purpose and it helped to support the level of safety she and the others in her lair strove to ensure. "However, if it's proven that I am indeed unable to return, then this lifestyle is one I'm just going to have to adjust to."

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Mike and Leo had grown used to watching Rama's performance on the DVD each morning. They had become quite impressed with her skills and proficiency with the various katas and use of the weapons. However, Mike paid very close attention to one work. Rama had opted to use the nunchuks instead of the katana or sai, which piqued his curiosity considerably. As she went through the moves, he could tell that they were not her preferred weapon of choice. Still, she still handled them with skill and was darn near flawless with them. He smiled as she whirled and swung the double set, lashing out violently, yet controlled their trajectory with expertise. She finished the kata without losing her balance and with the chuks clutched neatly in her grip. Bowing crisply, launched into yet another routine.

As he continued to watch her, Mike casually made a comment, "Rama seems to be settling in now, Leo. She isn't such a bad kid after all." He smiled as if relieved, watching the view from the monitor as it showed the girl going through the difficult advanced kata.

Leo chuckled lightly, "You're just saying that because she's so willing to help you out around the house." he teased, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Well, you have to admit, it is a switch from the other kids who disappear the moment that work is mentioned." Mike paused for a bit, looking at his brother, "So are you going to start giving her some serious work outs soon? From what we've been seeing here, she's obviously up for it." Mike's attention never wavered from what he was watching, thoroughly engrossed with the girl's ability. It was perfectly obvious that Rama's skills were honed for the soul purpose of staying live, her every effort lethal and debilitating. He also knew that Leo had only been trying to figure out the girl's level of training before going on and teaching her more difficult techniques. Although the DVD showed Rama as quite skilled, Leo had developed katas that were so advanced that only he was capable of executing them.

"I planned on stepping her training up once her stitches are out, Mike." Leo replied casually. "I know from what we're observing her doing here, she could very well handle the heat being turned up a bit."

"Turn the heat up on her and then she might end up applying it to Devon. Of course, that could be a good thing. With the way he's been treating her, Devon could well stand to eat a little crow and humble pie." Mike declared wryly. He slumped forward towards the screen, resting his elbows on the desk and his chin in his hands. He smiled a bit as he watched Rama on the monitor run through yet another difficult routine with the ease of a seasoned ninja.

"Well, something has to happen to put an end to his disobedience. The tension between the two is only increasing and it's making things a little touchy around here." Leo scowled as he considered the last few days. "No offense, but Rahab seems just a tad irritable lately, too."

"Irritable? My Rahab?" Mike teased, the flat of his hand going to his chest in mock surprise. He shook his head, adding more seriously, "She's close to kicking that kid's butt right out the front door!"

"Rama's?" Leo asked in shock.

"No, not Rama's. Rahab feels sorry for her. Devon's!" Mike explained and then added, "If any of us were going back to Japan, I think she'd have his bags packed and him, too, if she could manage it!"

Leo laughed with the mental picture Mike's words conjured up, giving him reason to chuckle openly. Still, he couldn't blame Rahab. She didn't like having such confrontations in her home, even though she herself was just as capable of doing such a deed. Yet, from her times in Japan with Master Splinter, she had learned to find some measure of control and inner peace, although Raph certainly had a way of upending her on a moment's notice.

However, even though he knew that Ramiela had been behaving herself, he sensed that it was getting increasingly more difficult for the girl to do so. Her hatred for Devon's snide comments was making it harder for her to back down all the time. As a future Jonin, she would not normally take such disrespect lightly. Therefore, Leo had to admire her tenacity to adhere to her promise about not causing problems with Devon. Yet, Leo was also afraid of what might happen if her anger became too much for her. Considering what he was witnessing on the monitor, it was all too plain that the girl could quite literally clean up with his nephew.

"I know Rama's only waiting until she can handle the challenge of facing Devon without worrying about her stitches. Yet, her determination to keep her promise to me has been impressive." Leo commented, sighing. He then noticed the ninja on the monitor had finished with her kata and was now replacing the chuks to the display wall.

"Have to agree with you there. However, we're dealing with two very stubborn people, Leo! Both have the training for control, but it seems one is hell bent not to yield to it." Mike shook his head ruefully.

Leo smiled a little, "Yes, but the fact of the matter is, Devon is just as obstinate as his father and won't listen to us – training notwithstanding." Leo commented, shaking his head. "I've tried everything from understanding to lectures to enforced katas. I just don't know what to do about him."

"Maybe he could use the same sort of lesson he once gave Gabby, but let Ramiela do the honors?" Mike offered with a snort and a chuckle.

Leo nodded solemnly, "That's what will probably have to happen."

He thought back to when Gabby was new to the clan and its rules. She had deliberately gone against a direct order by Seth to avoid a certain karaoke club during her first visit to Carmel with him and Devon. Where she was so fond of music, it had been a difficult order for her to follow, especially where she didn't have any training to that end. However, while Seth and Devon both napped on the beach, Gabby had quietly slipped away to check out the bar just the same. Once she was there, the people forced her up onto the stage to sing. Many of the patrons there were tourists and some had taken her picture. It was during that time when her escorts discovered her missing and figured out where she had gone. Yet, even when Devon and Seth had done their ninja best to empty and ruin the film from all the cameras, one photo managed to survive. It became front-page news by the next day. It was also the catalyst that began her training, but not until Don had taken her to New York. In reality, it was to get her out of the way during Devon's discipline by the clan for his failure to keep Gabby out of trouble. None of the clan members wanted the girl around, as they well knew how Devon might react towards her. Seth, however, ended up back in Japan where he also underwent an intense training session. Although Gabby's punishment was the banishment of music from her life for while, she viewed her training as punishment, too.

In the end, Devon had not been at all amused with his grounding and then forced to do long hours of katas and sparring. He ended up harboring a deep resentment towards the one who had caused it all. Consequently, after Gabby returned with Don from New York and knowing the brief reprieve she experienced there, Devon was peeved at her. Yet, when Gabby became snippy towards him, Devon had been quick to correct her. He'd been wise enough not to push it too far. However, he did impress upon her, in more ways than one, the importance of respecting him as well as his father and uncles.

Muttering almost to him self, Leo commented, "Yes, I think I agree, yet I also have a feeling that Devon is starting to have a bit of an interest in our young kunoichi. It could be that's the reason why he's been so determined to discourage any interest from her."

Mike nodded slightly as he had also picked up Devon's brief bit of interest in Rama. He had also sensed that the boy was quick to squelch any such feelings before they took root. It was apparent his stepson was struggling quite a bit with it, in fact.

"Devon might only be cutting his own nose off to spite his face, though." Mike commented. "After all, Rama is the only chance he's going to have for a family of his own."

Leo raised an eye ridge and rested a reassuring hand on his brother's shoulder "Mike, you must keep in mind that I have promised Ramiela to get her home if we can. Her family needs her as she is their future jonin." he reminded his brother kindly "For Ramiela to settle down here with us will only happen if getting her home doesn't work out."

Mike sighed wearily and squirmed a bit since he knew that his brother was right. However, he had a feeling Devon would be easier to get along with if he had a wife and kids, too. It would make him feel less of an outcast and give him something to come home to – besides the meals. "I have to be honest, Leo, there's a very large part of me which hopes we're unsuccessful. Rama is the only one unrelated to him that's capable of reproducing and I know he wants kids. Any pairing between him and a human would mean adoption and I have this sinking feeling that despite our wealth, money won't talk very loudly on that issue. If Devon should kill any chance with her by the way he's been treating her, Rama, might look elsewhere." Mike then inquired "Any idea yet how we are supposed to get her home?"

"Not yet but I can't give up the search, Mike, not when it's only just begun. I owe her and her family an honest effort." Leo replied seriously, facing his youngest brother full on.

"Hey, I'm totally behind you on that one, bro, despite my hopes to the contrary." Mike nodded. "I want her to get home, too; I can only imagine how much she is missed there."

Leo squeezed Mike's shoulder, "I'm glad you understand."

:::::::::::

They were outside on the patio next to the pool. Rama glanced up eagerly at Leo "Can the stitches come out now? Huh? Please tell me they can come out!" The expectation and excitement in her voice was audibly discernable, almost likening her to a child who wanted so much to be let off of restriction.

Leo smiled at her. "Hold on, Ramiela, let me verify that you're sufficiently healed to allow it" he insisted.

Rama rolled her eyes in irritation "All right if you have to but it's fine, I know it is." she groaned audibly.

Leo glanced at her and she met his gaze, her eyes dancing with amusement. He then shook his head, smiling, and turned back to checking her over. Finally, he agreed with her that it was time to remove the stitches.

Ramiela cheered the decision with great enthusiasm, whooping and whirling her fisted hand over her head in triumph.

"The best thing about this is that by being here you might have a long time to go before you get beat up again" Leo assured her as he worked out some of the easier stitches with a small sharp surgeons' knife.

Not grimacing from Leo's pulls, but visibly eager, she replied enthusiastically, "Better yet, I can actually make use of that pool! It looks a lot cleaner for swimming than Turtle Pond or the rivers in New York." Rama then exclaimed excitedly, almost as an afterthought, "OH, and I can shower now!"

"Hold still or I'll take more out of you than the stitches!" Leo admonished as he held on to the squirming girl's arm.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited!" Rama then gave Leo a cheeky grin, "I don't want my training slacking off, though, even if I am on vacation. Otherwise, the Foot will be stomping me a good one when I get home."

"From what I have seen of your works, you haven't permitted yourself to slack off, so I don't think you have to worry about that." Leo squeezed her shoulder assuredly. Rama had been faithful to obsession with her morning and evening katas with him. Yet not once did she ever divulge her time in the dojo during the night while everyone else was sleeping.

"But I _have_ been slacking, though" Rama protested, saying, "However, that's going to change real soon," she vowed more to herself, thinking of Devon and narrowing her eyes just a little. The more she thought about it, the more eager she felt to step up the pace downstairs. Yet, she then recalled her Aunt Sara telling her Uncle Raphael to find something good to say about Cathy. She recalled how hard it was for him to come up with something nice. At this moment, though, if anyone should ask her to find something decent to say about Devon, Rama would be as hard pressed as her uncle had been then. _"Not that the brat has given me any reason to try, of course!"_ she mused to herself. _"Still, if he'd just be nicer to me…"_Rama shook her head ruefully, _"Yeah, like THAT would ever happen!"_

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Later on that day after lunch was over and feeling cleaner and far more refreshed than she had in a long while, Rama went down to the dojo to work out a bit. She kept her senses alert for any sign of someone drawing near to the room. She didn't necessarily want spectators seeing her down there for the moment, most especially Devon.

After a while, she finally did sense someone coming down into the dojo. Immediately she slowed her exercises to make them look a little more awkward than normal, because she knew whom it was walking down the steps. It was Devon. Shortly, Rama heard a soft snort and guffaw. "Those exercises are meant to be done quickly." he remarked sharply, his voice dripping with scorn. "No wonder you are nothing more than a rag doll." He declared derisively.

Rama's face grew dark and then she suddenly stalked over to Devon glowering hard at him, "I've had just about all I can take from you and your attitude, Devon. Ever since you've arrived, you have done nothing but insulted me. So, why don't you do me a favor? Make like a ninja and vanish - **permanently**?" she snapped at him.

"What do _you_ know about ninja?" Devon scoffed sarcastically, whipping his tail around threateningly and putting his hands on his hips.

"I know that ninjas **act **anddon't waste time talking about it. From what I've seen of your ninjitsu, it's all talk and nothing but a lot of hot air," She smirked slightly, "proving it might be the only weapon you're remotely trained to use!" She then quickly remarked, challenging him, "It's either put up or shut up time, Devon. Let's spar and find out who really is the true ninja here."

"You want _me_ to spar with _you_?" Devon wondered almost disbelievingly. A small wicked smile played out along his face as he cocked his head to one side, almost mocking her.

"That's exactly what I am saying, unless – you're afraid of me. So far, my looks haven't turned you to stone. Or, wait, don't tell me, maybe you're concerned that you might beat the crap out of me because I'm such a _pathetic ninja_?"

Devon laughed, "It would be just a waste of my precious time, Rags. I'd have you down in less than five minutes, tops!" He retorted smugly as he turned to leave.

Rama wasted no time. Just as soon as he turned to walk away, she instantly dropped down to a low crouch, did a lightening fast three-sixty to sweep-kick out, tripping Devon to the ground. She was back up to a stand in the next moment, relaxed and ready.

Devon hit the floor with a dull thud. As he did so, he could hear her retort, "Fine, you don't want to spar, that's your choice. However, I'm not letting you leave here until we work this out. Words aren't going work here, only the knowledge and skill of ninjitsu." Rama declared forcibly.

Devon had been completely surprised, overconfident that her skills were sorely lacking. He hadn't even kept his senses alert when he turned away, certain that she would rather just let him go than to further the confrontation. It was what she had done so far for the past several days. Up until now, Ramiela had been rather meek with him and almost letting him get away with just about anything he said to her.

Looking at her as he righted himself, Devon growled. If she wanted to spar all that badly, then it certainly wouldn't take very long to put Ramiela in her place. _"Heck, in five minutes I'll be out of here and she'll be left to nurse her bruises."_ Devon chuckled to himself. Then, to her he replied, "Fine you got yourself a match. Just don't expect me to go easy on you, **_Rags_**."

"I don't intend to make things easy on you either, **_Lizard Boy!_**" Rama hissed. She saw Devon's eyes flair at her insult and she knew full well she had scored a decisive bulls-eye. Then, her hands on her hips, she announced, "This is how it's going to go. Simple hand to hand, first one down for a full minute loses the match."

"Easy" Devon sneered, rolling his shoulders and slapping his tail against the dojo floor aggressively.

Mike had just come back into the house from the patio area when he noticed Devon enter the dojo. The turtle knew that Rama was already down there. Considering how things had gone between the two them over the past several days, Mike half expected one to reemerge from the stairwell. However, after a few minutes had passed without either of them returning to the family room, he sensed that things had gone south in a hurry. It was quite possible that Rama found herself between the proverbial rock and a hard place; already well into a ninjitsu routine. If that was the case and if his stepson offered up another of his tart comments, it was a good bet that Rama might have taken advantage of the situation. She had already increased the frequency and strength of her katas during her workouts ever since Leo had taken her stitches out and declared her one-hundred percent healed. Mike just had this feeling that the battle was going to begin. He then hurried back out to the pool where the others were lounging around.

"Leo, hurry up inside; I think Rama and Devon are about ready to _play_," he announced softly.

Leo had been talking to Seth, but instantly jumped to his feet upon hearing Mike's proclamation. He excused himself, and quickly followed his brother back into the house. Seth shook his head and muttered as he watched his father disappear through the patio door, "Hope she kicks his butt big time!"

The two brothers quickly made for the monitor room across from the stairwell door. They both slipped inside, one right after the other, and took the two chairs that were in there, closing the door behind them. Mike swiftly switched on the view screen once he had the amp powered up, and immediately he and Leo had a perfect view of the impending match. Mike nearly bounced in his chair his anticipation keen and on edge. However, Leo gently eased a hand onto his younger brother's shoulder, "Calm down, Mike. You're going to short circuit the equipment with your own power surge!"

Mike only grinned, "Ah, Leo, you're always such a wet rag!" and then received a firm but friendly punch in the arm from his brother.

Rama, being very much aware of Devon's attitude regarding her ninja skills, played along to give him a measure of false confidence. He lashed out at her with his feet and hands, delivering lightening swift jabs and kicks so fast Rama was thankful for her training. She countered his attack with equal replies, but she allowed some to strike her while other more powerful executions she deflected successfully. During the first volley, however, she feigned a bit of hesitancy and slowed her movements just a tad so that he would convince himself that he could beat her easily with little or no effort on his part. Rama knew that an enemy who was overconfident could make mistakes, which would lead to their downfall. However, she wouldn't overdo it, either, for she realized in short order that Devon was skilled enough to be able to catch on very quickly. It wouldn't take much for him to notice that she was a little too adept at deflecting the more harmful blows as opposed to the ones she allowed to get by her that didn't hurt as much.

Devon suddenly whirled around, whipping his tail out towards her in an effort to slam it into his opponent. He had a typical lizard tail that was as long if not longer than his body. Nimbly, Rama leaped over it as if it were no more than a jump rope, never losing her balance and instantly ready for her next move. Yet before Devon had completed his turn, she darted in fast and grabbed him in a hold.

Without much of a struggle, Devon managed to break her grip, grabbing Rama's one arm and throwing her over his back and to the floor on the other side. Yet, before he could go and pin her down to insure his win, she had leapt back up to her feet and stood ready in a defensive posture. Devon paused. He had not expected that at all. He was absolutely sure when he tossed her over his head, that she would have had, at the very least, the wind knocked out of her – like Gabby had experienced. However, that was not what he faced when he turned to face Ramiela. He had to admit then, that she had lighting fast reflexes. Despite that, though, they hadn't seemed to be much of an asset to her in battle. _"She might be fast, but so far – she's still getting a pounding by me!" _he sniggered to himself.

Then, without any warning, Devon swiftly closed the gap on Rama, sharply throwing some fast punches at various points to her body. His hands and feet flew at her and at every level, the movements a blur as he dug deep within his ninjitsu. Yet, even with his best effort, he was startled to see that she was able to block most of them. Devon then growled low in irritation, almost snarling in his disappointment. This was already taking longer than he had expected. Ramiela was turning out to be harder to beat than he had first thought and it did not make him one bit happy! With Ramiela's shell on her back, Devon found that whenever his more forceful strikes came to bear against her, Ramiela would turn her back to him, allowing her carapace to receive the brunt of his hit. This, in turn, would only smart his hands or his feet as the shell was incredibly hard, like hitting a brick wall. What was worse, she was giving just as hard as she received, with no sign of backing down or wearing out. It was slowly dawning on Devon that he had greatly underestimated her. As he considered this unexpected turn of events, Devon hoped that he hadn't miscalculated too poorly.

Rama smiled openly. She was slightly aware that Devon was now only starting to see that this was a worthy competition for him. _"Good! Now, to step up the lesson and rub his nose in it!"_ she thought silently.

:::::::::::::

Up in the monitor room, Leo and Mike sat transfixed with the spectacle they were watching on the screen. They were both afraid to breathe lest they miss any of the action. When Devon delivered a particularly nasty move against Rama, only to receive her shell as his reward, Mike let out a whoop – receiving a quick jab in the arm by Leo, "Quiet! I don't want the whole house to know about this!" Leo chastised.

"Sorry, Leo; couldn't help myself. Devon's certainly in over his head, though!" Mike exclaimed.

"Yeah," Leo admitted, "He is…and it looks like his own training's going to be heating up because of it, too." Yet, despite his disappointment in his nephew, Leo had to admire Ramiela's skills and her ability to know when to receive a hit and when to deflect it. Then, it dawned on him, "She's baiting him…that's what she's doing!"

"Yep…getting him overconfident so he'll make mistakes! Yee haw!" Mike chortled loudly.

"Mike!" Leo admonished.

"Sorry."

:::::::::::::::::

Devon managed to get a tight restrictive hold around Rama, one that could restrain her but was hard to break free. It was a hold commonly used by ninja. Yet only a trained ninja could break out from such a hold.

"_For every action there is a reaction."_ Rama thought to herself, just before using the technique to break Devon's grasp. Then she leaped out of reach landing in a squat position on the floor and almost out of reach of Devon. However, she was not out of reach of his tail. Devon instantly realized this and brought it around full force. With her knees tucked up under her, Ramiela knew she could easily jump over it just as she had before. Yet, she decided on another option and a slow sinister smile grew on her face at the prospect. Rama braced herself for impact and then, as it came around, she grabbed the tail, keeping a firm grip on it as she twisted it a little. "Hey, Devon, I've heard if you break off a lizard's tail that it will grow back. Want to find out if it is true or not?" She asked, letting her threat dangle ominously.

Devon's eyes widened considerably as he felt the strength in her grip. Rama then sensed a quick flash of fear and uncertainty from him, which he quickly masked. It was obvious that no one had ever tried this tactic with him before. An almost subtle panic started to grow within him as he wondered how much 'payback' Rama was willing to demand.

However, just as quickly as she had caught it, Rama let his tail drop to the ground with no further damage. She had proved her point as well as she didn't' have a clue how sensitive his tail actually was. Yet, she had a feeling it would be still sore for a while and that might actually inhibit him from using it against her.

Slowly, Devon was beginning to understand and appreciate Ramiela's skills, though he was still confident that he could take her. She parlayed each of his moves with the skill of a trained and experienced ninja, awarding him bruises that he knew he would feel for days afterwards. Devon finally had to agree, though, that she was turning out to be a respectable opponent and making it at least worth his while to spar with her.

They went at each other, kicking, jabbing and grabbing in their attempt to upend their opponent. First Ramiela would succeed in getting Devon down, but he would efficiently slip out of her grasp and then turn the tables on her. Rama would neatly duplicate his earlier move and then they would be at a stalemate, once again, staring each other down.

After one long volley of maneuvers, Devon felt his confidence rise as he finally got her down and pinned under him. Now, if he could maintain it for a minute, it would all be over. However, Rama had other ideas. She relaxed ever so slightly, just enough to make him think she was accepting defeat. As soon as she sense him relax, she then made her move. Breaking out of the hold and grabbing onto Devon's arms, she used her legs to push him up and over her head and then away from her. In an instant, Rama went ninja, springing up and over to land on top of him before he could right himself. In less than a second, Devon was pinned to the floor, his arms held tightly behind him in Ramiela's firm grip.

Devon struggled violently in his attempt to break free. He growled and shot out threats of dismemberment to her. He lashed his tail around, but Rama was ready for it, tightening her hold on his arms. The moment his tail came up at her, she back kicked, connecting hard against it and causing Devon to yelp out in pain. Instinctively, he swiftly leveled his appendage to the floor and out of reach, or so he thought. Seeing her chance, Rama gripped it as well as his legs with her own. Now caught and held fast without any leverage to change his parameters, Devon started to panic just a bit. Yet, he would not throw in the towel, not yet anyway. He squirmed violently, hoping to create enough diversion with Rama to distract her into loosening her hold. However, no matter how hard he tried or flailed, it was all in vain. Rama had him retrained rock solid. There wasn't any way he would be able to slip out from under her or psych her out in any way. He growled low and threatening, not at all happy with the turn of events.

After a minute had passed, Rama smiled. "Do you yield, Devon?" She asked sharply

He gave her no response.

"I asked if you **yield**! We played a fair game, you know the rules!" Ramiela repeated, but louder.

Finally, Devon relented, his voice low and snarling, "Yeah, I yield."

Warily, Rama backed off of him and quickly gave him room. She was exhausted from the fight, yet she wasn't about to show it - certainly not to him. She was determined to make Devon believe that she could have fought on indefinitely, though she knew had he succeeded in freeing himself that last time, Rama might not have had the stamina to continue. Her injuries and convalescence had taken some of the edge off of her skills, something that she was definitely determined to rectify as soon as possible.

Still, she had to admire her opponent and his tenacity.

"You're a good fighter, Devon, and quite skilled, but I have an advantage over you." Rama explained and then continued, "I have fought in many battles where my life and the lives of others were in jeopardy. That makes a big difference in the way that I fight, but it also leads to scars like what I wear." Rama noted that Devon was eyeing her carefully, a measure of respect for her finally settling into his expression. Gone was the cocky attitude and smirk, his smugness replaced with a more sober countenance. For a moment, she thought it looked rather good on him.

Quickly, Ramiela bowed to him respectfully before turning to leave the dojo. She was tired and wanted very much to return to her room, if only so she could grab another shower – and maybe a nap! However, she veiled her fatigue expertly, keeping her senses alert to Devon just in case he decided the battle wasn't quite over after all. She didn't put it past him to nix his honor just to pound her into the ground. Though he seemed subdued, as a ninja, Rama knew he might be faking it. She maintained vigilant to his intentions as she climbed the stairs upwards to the family room. Once Rama was out of the dojo, she gave a long exhausted sigh of relief, saying to herself, _"I did it, I finally showed him!" _

As she started to exit the short hallway where the stairwell was, the girl saw a light coming out from under a door across the way. She could sense Mike and Leo and wondered what they were doing in there. However, at that moment, she was too tired to care. Rama quickly headed for the stairs to the second story, anxious for that shower and maybe a short nap as well.

::::::::::::::

Devon had sat watching Ramiela's silent departure in awe. He shook his head, slightly confused and uncertain now more than ever before. He was starting to realize that there was much more to Ramiela than he had given her credit for. He wondered quietly to himself how he could have been so foolish as to judge her so quickly. True, he thought to himself, she had irritated him when she talked during the television program, but it was more than that and he knew it. All he thought about at the time was her appearance and the fact that she was so much younger than he was. Yet, as he thought about it, was she that much younger? Leo had told him that Rama was eighteen. That would have made her eight years younger. Was the age difference that big of a deal? He thought about that and then found himself wondering about a great many other things, such as – were the cameras operating during the match?

He glanced up at them, hoping the recording devices wouldn't be on this time of day. Yet, Devon remembered that Mike came into the house about the time he had reached the stairwell to go down into the dojo. Would Mike even think of using the monitors? Would Leo?

Then he realized that they probably would have, given the many lectures and enforced Kata's that his sensei had implemented on his behalf - all because of how Devon had been treating Rama. The boy had a sinking feeling that his family had indeed seen the fight and probably had recorded his defeat for posterity. Devon was fully willing to accept the fact that Rama was a ninja and a well trained one at that. However, to have recorded his defeat by her was another matter all together.

He groaned, "Mike is never going to let me live this down, even if I was bested by a ninja. No way will he go easy on me!"

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Ramica's comments:

_Pretender: This Leo and Mike don't know the sort of jokes Rama plays when she plays them. So you could very well be right if Rama decides to enlighten her new family, they could be in more trouble than they know.___

_Vestque: Ah, your review has inspired us in all new ways. Though I must admit I have never seen Dragon ball z myself I did enjoy every moment of your review with Rama going after Devon. I think this chapter might have pailed in comparison. ___

_If ever I run out of ideas I might come to you for a kick start._

Reinbeauchaser's comments

_Pretender Fanatic: Ramica seems to have an unending flow of imagination where it concerns our green guys! Yeah, Leo might have unintentionally given Rama permission to play April Fool's jokes! I have to agree with you that there will be trouble a foot for many in the Angelo household. As for not cutting her hair, she's ninja, she knows where every move is going – even her locks! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_VestqueX: Good grief, girl, you need to find the 'off' button for that anger towards Devon! Love your 'chapter' so much that I have to agree with Ramica – it made our chapter 22 seem lack luster. Don't despair, though; I'm sure we've satisfied those readers out there who just have to have action, no matter what. At least, we hope so! Great job, btw, and you know we're coming back for it! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	23. Warriors Interlude

**DISCLAIMER**: Still wondering if it's worth it, to write these stories and not be paid for them….checks reviews and reader count….yep, still worth it. We do not own one single mutated chelonian ninja warrior or their families other than our own OC's. Would not mind a visit now and then – but not from Devon, okay? Just the same, thanks to all who find time to read, whether you review or not.

**CHAPTER 23 - WARRIORS INTERLUDE**

Seth looked up expectantly as Mike emerged from the house. By the expression on his uncle's face, he did not have to ask who had won the match between Ramiela and Devon. Mike's satisfied grin and confident walk clearly said who the victor was.

Gabby rested nearby, now relaxing on a lounge chair near the pool. Nearby, Seth tended to their daughter, Mindy. However, in a moment Gabby sensed her uncle's presence and looked up. Seeing the cheerful expression on his face, she asked him, "I sure hope Ramiela really gave it to Devon good; he was getting so…" she paused as she searched for a polite way of saying what was on her mind, "INFURIATING! I was ready to do the job myself if it came right down to it!" She then flopped over onto her back to warm her front-side. Upon seeing her mother change positions, Mindy squealed, stealing herself away from her father only to clamber up onto the lounge chair with her other parent. "Umph, Mindy dear, you are getting heavier, me thinks!" Gabby giggled as she wrapped her arms around her child. The little girl laughed loudly in return and then rested on top of her mother in contentment.

Mike raised a single finger and shook it in chidingly, "Uh-uh, Gabby, Rama is fully capable of managing her own battles and I have a feeling Devon is going be lying off of her, now that he knows about what she can do in a dojo."

Rahab looked up from her chair, casting a sour expression at her mate. However, Mike gave her one of his disarming smiles, "Rama is well up to handling Devon, my dearest, and you can bet he won't be slashing his tail around that girl any time soon." The turtle then chuckled, "on account that it's probably nicely bruised and sore, thanks to her." He slapped his thigh and barked out a laugh, which startled Mindy from her repose. She looked over and, upon seeing Mike laughing, joined in herself. 

Rahab watched as her granddaughter giggled at her husband's good mood, smiling a little in response. Still, she was pretty ticked off at her oldest son, "I'll give him more than a bruised tail if he keeps it up," Rahab grumbled, going back to her reading.

"I'm sorry I missed it." Seth sighed, clearly disappointed. It wasn't often nor was it easy to put his older brother in his place. Not that he had ever tried. They did spar from time to time, if only to keep their skills sharp. Yet, other than his involvement with thwarting the attack on the property three years earlier, Seth preferred a more passive response to things. He then noticed the patio door sliding open once again. Soon, Leo emerged from the house with a cold drink in hand. Seth commented to his father as he reclined in the lounge chair, "Sounds as if it was worth seeing."

Leo smiled, choosing not to comment just yet, because he had noticed his granddaughter. He then called out to her, "Say, little girl, you gonna give me some hugs?" The child squealed an ear- piercing giggle, forcing everyone to cringe, and hopped off her mother to make for her grandfather as fast as her little legs could carry her. Her auburn hair flew along behind her as she made for him, her arms high over her head in jubilation.

Mike laughed, "You didn't miss a thing, Seth. I taped it. I'm sure Don will be interested in seeing it when he gets home tomorrow. You can watch it then." His nephew smiled wide in response and anticipation.

Leo sat his drink down on a nearby patio table before receiving Mindy, her outstretched arms wrapping tightly around her grandfather's neck as he picked her up. Leo commented to Seth and anyone else who was listening, shifting the girl to his left hip, "Ramiela used skill and strategy to outwit and out fight him. However, I think it took more out of her than she let on. I don't believe that she's completely recovered just yet." He smiled at Mindy as she gave him one of her famous kisses on his cheek. He returned to talking with his son, "At any rate, I think Devon is still trying to figure out what hit him."

Leo saw Rahab scowl slightly as she cast a pointed look at Mike. He knew how irritated she was with her son's behavior towards Rama and all the problems it was causing. In retrospect, he decided it might be better to downplay things. Shifting his granddaughter higher up in his arms, he commented to the girl's grandmother, "Considering her training and position in her own clan, she upheld things quite well."

Mike snickered at Leo's casual tone as he downplayed the fight. He knew full well how intimidated his brother was with Rahab. She had nailed him on more than one occasion with her talons, something all of them, except Don, had first hand experiences with. Maybe he thought Rahab would have gone ballistic with the way Rama put Devon in his place, or maybe the way Devon had fought. Mike was aware how distasteful the ninjitsu was to his wife. Still, he could not resist a little ribbing, "Oh come on, Leo; the look on Devon's face when Rama grabbed hold of his tail mid-swing was priceless!" Mike crowed, keeping a casual watch on his wife, "It will be a long time before he tries that trick with her again." He chuckled some more as he went to go sit down next to his mate.

"It will also be a long time before he calls her a pathetic and worthless ninja, too." Leo said flatly, "Ramiela's proved to him that she is every inch a kunoichi and deserves his respect." He then added as an afterthought, "Now we'll just have to see what happens from here."

He had stayed down in the dojo for a good long while, contemplating his defeat. Devon wasn't quite ready to go outside and face Mike's good-natured ribbing just yet. Finally, he resigned himself to the inevitable, climbing up the dojo stairs. After he closed the door, he looked at the one across the small hallway from him. He wondered about what lay beyond it. He thought of going inside the room there to find out if his suspicions were true. However, he decided against it. Instead, Devon stalked into the family room and flopped down into a chair. Grabbing up the remote to turn the television on, he absentmindedly began to flip through the channels. Although, for the moment, he was not that interested in watching anything in particular, he finally did stop on a movie that was playing. He watched it dispassionately, working the inside of his cheek and grinding his teeth in frustration.

_"All right, so a kunoichi beat me. So what?" _he fussed to himself,_ "That hasn't lost me anything."_ He thought to himself and then winced inwardly, _"Except for the fact that I assumed she was totally incapable of such a thing." _Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath,_ "What an idiot I am!"_

Devon sighed and had to admit that she was good all right, very good in fact. "_I wonder how she would be with weapons,"_ he considered silently to himself before giving a rueful shake of his head. He knew that someone as skilled as she was and still so scarred would have had many battles; battles she walked away from as the winner. He then thought of his own scar from the one skirmish his family fought three years earlier. He slipped his hand just under the waistband of his gi pants to finger the thick three-inch reminder of being shish-ka-bobbed to the forest floor. How many battles had Ramiela been in to earn the scars she wore? Her words from their first argument then came back to haunt him, _"The scars you bear are marks of honor and to be worn with pride."_

_"Pride in the skill to save yourself and others as well."_ he added silently to himself as he remembered his one and only battle. She might be younger than he was, but she had probably seen many times more sorties than he had.

Devon then recalled when he was told about the condition Ramiela was found in. She had been severely injured, sustaining deep cuts and lacerations, prompting immediate medical help from Don's private doctors. His uncle felt that if it hadn't been for her discovery, Rama would have succumbed from her wounds. It was in that moment Devon realized that she was still recuperating. He understood then that it was a given she was not yet at full strength. He suddenly grimaced. If she could beat him the way she was in her current physical state, he would hate to see what Ramiela might have done to him if fully recovered. Perhaps it was just as well the fight had come when it did. Then again, Devon had to admit that Ramiela played the match fairly. More than likely, she would have done the same under different circumstances as well – given her obvious sense of honor. With his tail badly bruised and, therefore, quite sore, he suddenly concluded she could have inflicted a great deal more damage to it if she was the sort to go for revenge. With all of the painful words Devon had spat at her and the insufferable teasing he had inflicted, Rama would have had that right to do so. He was, therefore and without question, immediately impressed by her integrity and her mature way of dealing with the battle as a whole. Devon took note that her attitude was a direct contrast to his own. In his attempt to drive off what he had thought was only an immature, bubble headed child with a crush on any guy that breathed, Ramiela had proved herself to be far more than that. She was, in the truest sense of the word, a kunoichi and a ninja with all the respect due her.

Trying to understand his own motivation to repel her, he remembered how he deplored girls who fawned over him. Because of Rama's initial reaction to him, he had assumed her to be just like them. Devon's days in school gave him enough reasons to feel that way. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more he saw that the girl had beaten him in more ways than one. She outclassed him not only on the dojo floor, but in honor and integrity as well.

"I'm a first class _baka_." he huffed out loud as he berated himself.

"No, Baka is far more intelligent than that." Rama's voice came up from behind as she entered the room without warning. Showered and refreshed from a meditative nap, she smiled easily as she noticed Devon's reaction.

Devon almost startled in response, whipping his head around to see her come into the room. He then glanced up at the clock on the fireplace mantle to realize he had been lost in thought for quite some time.

Noticing his concern, Rama grinned, "Don't worry, Devon, I won't tell anyone. As far as I'm concerned, the fight's between you and me. It goes no further."

"Oh, you think so?" Devon demanded, his voice a bit sharper than he intended for it to be.

"I'm not going tell anyone, Devon; trust me," she insisted, biting back a sharper retort. "So we sparred - big deal. Some stuff in life is clan business and other stuff is private and personal." Rama replied casually as she moved over to stand before him.

"Easy for you to say, but I have a feeling Mike taped it all." Devon grumped as he turned his head away from her, "In fact, I'm sure he did!" He then looked towards the door in the small hallway where the monitor room was.

Rama scowled slightly "Taped it?" she inquired as she sat down on the divan across from Devon. She furrowed her eye ridges together in concern, not wanting to believe what she just heard. She followed his gaze and wondered what he was looking for. Then, as he spoke, she turned to face him once again.

Devon replied as he turned back to her, deliberately neglecting to explain the reason why the cameras were installed to begin with, "Mike has hidden cameras in the ceiling of the dojo with a recording room off the hallway. We often record workouts or practice sessions." He nodded towards the room in question. The door was currently closed to any prying eyes, looking completely innocent without any indication of what lie beyond.

As she looked over at it, Rama remembered sensing Mike and Leo there just a while ago after the fight. Although she hadn't any clue about the room at the time, now she thought it strange that anyone here would spy on another. Then again, Devon did say they used the equipment for training purposes. Still, she had not expected such things, not here anyway. As she thought about it, she knew that at home, while out on patrol, she had to stay alert to such things. Trying to avoid discovery in a busy place like New York was not always easy with the cameras, telescopes and binoculars so prevalent there. How she had missed the recording devices in the dojo grated at her for the moment. Nevertheless, deciding that it was a mute point at this stage of the game, she dismissed her stumble. Still, Rama had wonder if they had taped her practice sessions as well. She realized that if indeed they had, no one yet had said anything to her concerning it. Maybe they elected not to in order to avoid a confrontation. _"One problem at a time, Rama dear!"_ she mused to herself.

Suddenly, she had an idea and gave a wry mischievous grin, "Well, Devon, if you want I can always go in and destroy the evidence." She grinned wider. "Won't take any time at all, in fact!" she assured him. She gave a light chuckle at the thought of upending the recording of not only the fight but her nightly activities as well. It would serve them right, after all, for being so intrusive. Just thinking about it energized her. She had not been on such a mission for some time and it might prove quite interesting to try – especially in a home filled with ninja!

"Mike and Leo would kill you!" Devon replied quickly, "Actually they would probably assume **I** did it and kill me instead, he bemoaned as he allowed his eyes to drift away, shaking his head in defeat.

Rama arched her eye ridges in amusement. "So why not give me a reason to do it then?" she teased. "Maybe bug me some more or…" Yet, in that moment, she saw the serious and almost deflated expression on Devon's face. "Well, I guess not." Rama back-peddled, "We all have moments when we feel like we've made complete idiots of ourselves, or do things we're not proud of." Rama allowed, "Like when I first got here."

Snorting in agreement, Devon nodded at her, remarking, "Yep, acting like a spoiled brat. At least that's what my dad said."

Rama could not refute his description of her; it was too true. "I guess I was a bit like that. Yet it was more like a misunderstanding on both your family's part as well as my own. Just like with you and me, Devon." Rama's voice softened in understanding, "Maybe you can't relate to my lifestyle because you're so far removed from it. Then again, I feel out of my element here in your world for the same reason." Rama then sighed a bit and looked away wistfully "I miss going out on night patrols and stompin' on the Foot. I even miss my pesky brother a lot."

Devon was aghast that she would even admit to missing her danger-packed existence in the other world, "How can you miss something that threatens your life all the time? Aren't you relieved to be away from it all?" Devon asked in disbelief.

"No, not really. True, it is great being here with the big house, the trees and flowers, and the pool. Having enough to eat without worrying about how to get it and being able to go into town the way you do must be nice as well. I guess I might be able to get used to it. However, it would be easier if my family was here, too, but they aren't. They're still in danger and they might need me." Rama then allowed, "You and your family are used to this lifestyle just the way I'm used to mine. You must understand that there is great honor in helping to protect those you care about."

Devon nodded, recalling once again about the skirmish years earlier. At the time, his Uncle Don told him to stay up at the house while the rest of them went to investigate things in the forest. However, instead he ended up heading into the woods because he wanted to help his family. It was easy, now, to understand about what Ramiela was sharing.

Suddenly he recalled what started the conversation in the first place. He looked up at Ramiela, glowering at her "So you go and beat me and then decide you have the right to call me a _fool_?"

"You called yourself that, first, Devon – remember?" Ramiela corrected, her eye ridges raised in surprise, "I just added that Baka is more intelligent than that." She grinned a bit and shrugged as she realized the misunderstanding. She saw Devon's puzzled expression, so she began, "I guess I'd better explain myself. You see, I have an old cat that is about fifteen now. His name is Baka, so it is sort of a joke in our family that if you call someone a baka, they might say _'Oh, I'm a sweet old kitty cat'_ or, _'Thanks for the compliment_, _I didn't know you liked me."_ Rama grinned lightly, "My cat, Baka, isn't a baka because he is more intelligent than that." She smiled at Devon's confused expression, "That's what I meant when I said what I said to you!"

"Then why did you name him Baka if he isn't one?" Devon was quite confused with what Rama was telling him.

Rama leaned back against the couch, relaxing a little more as she explained, "Well, for one thing, I didn't name him. My Uncle Raphael did. I was only four when he told me the kitty's name was Baka and I thought he was telling the truth."

"So…why not change it when you realized it?" Devon was becoming somewhat intrigued with this bit of Rama-history.

Ramiela laughed, "Because I love messing with people's minds for one thing and beside, by the time I understood what the word meant, Baka was used to his name."

"So why did your Uncle give that name to the cat in the first place?" Devon had to smile just a little. Giving a cat a name that was more for insulting did seem rather humorous. He could just imagine calling for any pet with such a moniker.

Rama glanced down at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. The memories that preceded her finding the kitten still bothered her, but for now, she would only talk about her cat, "I made Uncle Raphael dig the kitten out of a rabbit's hole that we found him in. It was on the farm that April and Casey owned. Uncle Raphael had a lot to say about that one, you can be sure, which is how the cat got its name!" She smiled a bit, recalling how frustrated her Uncle Raphael had been with her. She was so determined then to 'rescue' the kitten. Yet, at the same time, Raph had been so sure the kitten would slice and dice his hands once the beast was free from the hole. In the end, the tiny ball of fluff was the most benign creature, purring and not the least bit bothered with all the attention.

Devon snorted with amusement knowing his own father's attitude. He could easily picture Raph huffing and puffing a long string of obscenities while he dug up a worthless ball of fur. How a small child could get him to do such a thing did not seem possible. "Didn't he tell you where to get off?" he asked in amazement. It wasn't that his father didn't have kindness, but to be coerced into digging up the ground for such a thing as a cat was something not worthy of his time.

"My uncle Raphael and I are close, Devon. When I was younger, he would spoil me rotten, much to my own father's dismay. He wouldn't punish me and he'd stick up for me." Rama went on to explain, "I had him pretty much wrapped round my finger until Aunt Sara came around. When that happened, he decided he needed her in his life and was forced to give up spoiling me." Rama gave a mock shake of her head and groaned dramatically, "Poor Uncle Raphael; he's never been the same since."

Devon had to smile at her antics, "Sort of like my dad with Mindy. He spoils her rotten, too. She can get away with anything; boss him around, gets him to do things that has rewarded him with a lot of teasing from Mike! Yet, he was never that way with me when I was kid. Heck he was hardly around in fact." Devon said glumly.

"Well, my uncle is stricter with his own kids than he was with me, too! My uncle said it was because of me that he even wanted kids of his own." Rama relaxed back in her seat some more, "I am sorry, though, that he missed out on raising you. Still, Devon, I don't think you're a baka in any way. Though I admit earlier I might not have been so charitable," Rama grinned a little "Of course I had a lot of choice words for you at the time and most of them weren't very nice."

"Can't say I blame you there; I wasn't exactly giving you a reason to think otherwise." Devon admitted sheepishly.

She then smiled and nodded, "I actually enjoyed sparring with you, Devon. I wouldn't mind another session or two, either; maybe give you a chance for a rebuttal, if you're lucky, that is." Rama teased. She knew from her experience earlier that Devon was a worthy opponent. Just because she had won this time didn't mean she would win all of the time. "That is, if you ever want to spar with _me_ again" she amended quickly. As she thought about it, Ramiela was sure that Devon probably would not want to be bothered with her. Yet she had to admit that he was acting nicely enough for the moment. She was confident his recent defeat might have only made Devon a little more willing to be friendly, a certain respect for her limited only to her fighting skills. Perhaps when that wore off, he would return to snubbing her once again. "_This decent behavior doesn't mean anything really, because he probably still thinks that I'm ugly." She said to herself dispassionately._

However, Devon surprise her and glanced Rama's way, admitting, "Actually, you gave me an incredible challenge. In fact, I'd like a chance to see how good you are with weapons." He smiled a bit, baiting her s a little.

Rama had been expecting an entirely different response from him and not the one he had given her. Though she detected that Devon seemed quite sincere, she wasn't too certain if he truly was. Maybe he was masking his real feelings and, then, just when Rama least expected it, he'd get back for losing to her. Not knowing what to expect from him, she gave a teasing reply, her interest piquing slightly, yet cautiously, "Yeah, maybe, and then – what? You just might have the _worthless_ ninja down in how many minutes?"

Devon put his hands up to stop her, interrupting, "You're not a worthless ninja, Ramiela, or pathetic - not if you can fight and then beat me the way you did." Devon's tone sounded more repentant now and just a little uneasy, as if unfamiliar with such feelings. Fidgeting somewhat in his chair, he appeared suddenly uncomfortable.

Ramiela sighed lightly, considering silently his words and actions and trying to comprehend what he was trying to tell her. Perhaps Devon was attempting to apologize for his oafish behavior. Yet, like her Uncle Raphael, he might be finding it difficult to do, especially where he was in the wrong.

Just the same, Ramiela decided to accept his words as an apology, hoping that she was not misjudging him. After all, she had promised to get along with the family since making the truce. The last thing she wanted was a reason to break it. "Thanks Devon, I appreciate that a lot." She grinned a little "However, you could have been right you know - I mean, I guess I do look a little like I don't know which end of the sword I ought to be handling."

Devon had to then smile back at her for the way she disarmed herself, slowly beginning to appreciate Rama's wit just a little more.

Leo had entered the house moments earlier after returning Mindy to her mom so he could fetch a refill of iced tea. However, before he crossed the threshold of the patio door, he heard the soft murmurings of voices coming from the family room. He immediately recognized not only the voices but also the essence of who the speakers were. Silently and going into stealth mode, he edged along the wall by the door. It separated that part of the house from the main hallway, keeping him from view of those in the other room. Leo suppressed his own 'identity' as he reached the opening that led to that part of the house. As he slowly peered around the corner, what he saw nearly made his mouth drop. Pulling back behind the barrier, Leo shook his head as he realized that Ramiela and Devon were talking in civilized tones. There didn't seem to be any hint of underlying hostilities or animosity between the two, which surprised him completely. He half expected a volley of insults and complaints coming from his surly nephew rather than the conversation going on in the other room. Still, Leo had to smile. Although unsure for the moment which one had taken the first step, Leo had to be proud of both of them.

For one reason, Ramiela seemed to have dispelled any grudge against Devon for how he had been treating her. Although Leo felt she certainly had good reasons to, she seemed to be letting things go. Though Mike was not the sort to be vindictive, that did not necessarily mean Ramiela had inherited his easy-going nature. Her human mother – whoever she was – could certainly influence that aspect of the girl's personality. Still, as Leo listened, it seemed as if common sense and a little training were paying off.

As for his second reason, Leo was also proud of Devon for finally coming around and making peace with the girl. Though it took a fight for Ramiela to authenticate her ability with ninjitsu, it was something Leo knew was inevitable. It had to happen and he knew it from the get-go. As he thought about it, he hoped that things would work out well enough so that the tension in the home would ease up a little. At the very least, it would allow Rahab to relax and enjoy peace again in her home, which would only mean good news for the rest of the household as well!

Silently keeping his presence from the two ninjas, Leo turned around and slipped back outside. He wanted to inform Mike and Rahab concerning the fallout from the battle. At the very least, it might quell any more disparaging remarks from his sister-in-law. He was also well aware that Rama and Devon's 'truce' was brand new and, therefore, it was premature to be completely sure of how long it would last. Yet, at present, things did look quite promising for them – as well as for everyone else! He could only hope that his nephew had learned his lesson – for now, at least.

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS_**

_Sailor Vegeta: Well I don't know when or where Ramiela will be celebrating her birthday, though I enjoyed your ethusiasim over her defeat of Devon.___

_Vestquex: Oh come on Devon did help in teh invasion but he probably would have a lot more scars if he fought the sort of battles Rama is called on to fight. Tell Donny the only truely insane people are those who claim they are sane.___

_Pretender: Take your time for reviewing, just glad to hear from you again. Only time will tell what sort of friends Gabby and Rama end up being.___

_Danceingfae: Yeah things could get very interesting here on out in more ways then one!_

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S 2-CENTS WORTH! :0) _**

_DANCINGFAE: Hey, no problemo about the length of time between reviews. Seems everyone is having PC issues! LOL Glad the fight met expectations. I waffled about how 'violent' to make it, yet Ramica's take on the event made me realize that Rama's honor would win out. Why damage when you can bruise and have a lasting memory of it! LOL Anyway, as far as Devon being attracted to Rama, only time will tell. Keep reading and find out, is all I can say. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_PRETENDER FANATIC: Gah, you must have – panicked! I would have been killed if I deleted the bootlog - and my hubby would have done the honors, too! LOL Anyway, we're pleased you liked the fight. Lots of potential for revenge, here, but we decided not to take it as far as we could. Yeah, you can give kudos to Ramica as she crafted how the fight would go – including that 'lizard tail' incident! Oh, but as far as Gabby and Rama are concerned regarding friendship, we haven't really explored that aspect yet. Keep reading to find out, though! Home is still another issue. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_VESTQUEX : Yeah, we had fun writing this one. We were both chafing at the bit to get Rama and Devon teamed up – or, is that matched up? Hmm…either way, it was a hoot to write. All kinds of ideas and endings swarmed around us, but we decided to go easy on the 'poor boy', with all he's been through….plus I really didn't want another visit by him if he ended up in the hospital. Okay, I may have written that but it still unnerved me. LOL Yep, Dev's cocky like his ol' man, but I think his biggest challenge if brought into Rama's world would be living underground. He'd only fight the Foot if he went topside or ran into them while they were searching the tunnels. He'd be worse off than Rama, me thinks. Dev is too much like his pops where he needs the 'wide open spaces' to roam. Poor Donnie; he really has a hard time reining you in, doesn't he? Bwahahaha! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_SAILOR VEGETA: Hey, you could be Rama's pep squad leader!! Love the cheer! Yep, finally did the fight and now on to other things. A little lull between storms and other adventures and maybe a….nope, can't mention that, as yet. Ramica and I do want to live a little longer, just long enough to at least finish this epic. Need to remain faithful to reading where we've had some things planned out for quite a while. The time is right so, on to the next chapter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	24. Boredom

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Okay, so we don't own them – so sue us for cry'n out loud! (Pause) Kidding, we're only kidding! Honestly, we just love to joke around, don't we, Ramica? Ah, Ramica? Why are you stepping away from me like that? Ooops…ah….wait, why are Mirage lawyers looking at us, ah at me like that? Can't you guys take a joke? Sheesh, get a grip AND a personality why don'cha? Umm…Hoo boy - RUN FOR THE HILLS, RAMICA! ("Psss"...to lawyers..."Ramica went that a'way!"...points to hills)._

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_Great thing about having this story on my site is – I can write any disclaimer I want! Tee hee!_

**CHAPTER 24 – BOREDOM**

"So…what, you'll be another couple of days, then?" Mike asked into the phone. He was quiet for a moment as the person on the other end replied. As he listened, Mike leaned his plastron against the kitchen counter. He absentmindedly drummed his fingers on the tile, looking out the window that faced the patio. It was about then that he noticed Rama as she approached the house. Mike smiled as he observed her, his eye ridges perking up a bit in anticipation of talking again into the phone, once the chance presented itself.

Earlier, Ramiela had gone over to Seth and Gabby's to spend time playing with Mindy. She had tried to make it a habit to visit the toddler at least once a day because she found some peace in playing with the child. It was as close to her other life in practice as she could get, all things considered. As it was, the little family unit kept Rama's mind occupied, since there wasn't much happening, except for her morning and evening katas with Leo. As for Leo, after his student headed over to see Mindy, he had taken a long walk in the forest to meditate at some secluded spot that Seth called The Sanctuary. That was a couple of hours ago. Now, as she headed for the main house, Ramiela had a rather bored, if not downcast, expression on her face. As she walked, she scuffed at the flagstone a bit, kicking an errant pinecone that had found its way onto the patio. She watched as it skittered away, disappearing into a clump of bushes that boarded the rose garden. She sighed to herself a bit, as she resumed her march towards the house.

Mike spoke back into the phone once again, as the opportunity came up, "Well, just so you know, there's been a truce between Devon and Rama!" he grinned smugly. While he listened to the person on the other end respond, Mike turned back around as the girl walked through the patio door. "Yep, happened a week ago." he crowed, "Seems that Rama pretty much showed ol' Dev she was the real McCoy!" He winked at her as she stepped into the kitchen and headed for the refrigerator. Rama just ignored him, though, acting completely indifferent to the phone conversation he was having.

"Yeah, Don," Mike went on, leaning his carapace up against the counter and folding his one free arm across his plastron, "she just nailed his tail to the floorboards and held him in a ninja lock I'd never seen before. Just about polished the wood down there the way he flailed around, trying to get her off his back. Ah, what's that?" He listened for a second and then perked up, "Hey, you _bet_ I recorded it! Got it all on DVD. I can send it to ya via the Internet if you want." He frowned just a little, "Yeah, I understand – business first," but then he chirped once more, "Well, at least ya know what's waitin' for ya when you get home!"

As she pulled open the refrigerator's door to grab a cold soda, Rama rolled her eyes, complaining silently to her self, _'And to think I thought my dad was irritating.' _She was still not pleased with Mike for taping the whole fight. Part of the reason she was irritated about it was because she had not been aware of the cameras and she knew she should have been. With all of the cameras, telescopes, and binoculars that New Yorkers used, she always had to be on alert for such things, lest someone spot her. To have missed something so obvious grated at her like nothing else. Yet, her other irritation was the way Mike had carried on since it happened. It had already been a week and he was _still_ gloating as if she were the first ninja to best another in a sparring match.

As she popped the top of her soda open, Rama had to admit herself to being just a little disappointed with Don's delayed homecoming as well. She felt quite accomplished with quelling the problem with Devon and looked forward to seeing the surprise on Don's face when he found out. Knowing the problems her ex-antagonist had caused her and the times his uncle had taken him out to the woods for talks, it would have been a sweet victory all the way around. However, through a cryptic E-mail that Don had sent earlier in the week, the entire family knew that he had been incommunicado and deep into negotiations that took longer than anticipated. It had unfortunately delayed his return to Carmel. It also wasn't possible to get back to him, either, so - during that time - Mike had chaffed at the bit, quite anxious to tell his brother about the match. Rama knew he was just itching to tell someone. When Raph called one time, Mike bored his poor brother with the details, giving a play-by-play account of the whole event. Still, due to his limited supply of available ninjas, the poor guy ended up without anyone else to talk to.

Rama finally figured that Mike's enthusiasm was more like displaced father's pride, knowing that she had his genes and yet he couldn't claim her as his. Though Devon was currently working in Monterey at the recording studio, she felt her father's twin only humiliated the boy even more. As she thought about it, she felt that Mike should have been fully aware that one could not win every match or battle, her scars being a testament to that fact. From his own experience, Mike should not need an explanation to that end. Rama had even tried telling him that if the battle had gone on much longer, the outcome would have been completely different. Just the same, Mike persisted. In fact, he became so annoying that Rahab had actually locked him out of their bedroom until he could refrain from bringing it up to her. Rama thought it rather funny, yet she could not blame his wife one bit; he was truly becoming a pain in the tail about it.

The problem that Rama saw was, from her perspective, Raphael-children had little tolerance for such things. She was sure that Devon was not an exception. Just knowing first hand how her uncle's three daughters were at home, she was certain that Mike would not get away such teasing for too long. It was enough that she had proved her point, so she didn't have any need to take it any further. As far as she was concerned, the subject was dead. As for Devon, it was just as well that business in town had picked up when it had. Otherwise, by this time, he would have given Mike quite an earful for shoving his defeat down his throat.

_"Maybe I ought to chuck him out of his shell?"_ she thought ruefully, bringing to mind the joke that she shared for many years with her father. The moment she would get into trouble over some little thing, he would threaten to chuck her out of her shell in quick order. Rama smiled a bit at the thought, thinking to herself, _"Then I could give his twin a taste of the same medicine and be the one gloating for a change!"_

"Yeah, I'll tell her for you." Mike exclaimed into the phone as the call was ending, "I understand, sure, no problem. Hope things go well over there in Japan. I'll tell Leo about the Ryu; I'm sure he'll be glad to know Kimko is holding down the fort!" Mike nodded, "Yep, see ya then, Bro!"

He hung up the phone, then looked up and grinned at Rama, beaming, "That was Don!"

"No duh." she replied dispassionately, taking a sip of her soda and then made for the family room.

"Says he's glad you finally put his nephew in his place, can't wait to see the DVD." Mike chirped, following her as he waved his arms around for emphasis, "Yeah, told 'em about how you took Dev out in the dojo!" Mike beamed, slapping her lightly on her carapace and clearly pleased about the whole thing.

"Really, Mike, it wasn't that a big of deal. Let it rest, won't ya?" she begged off and gently dipped away from his good-natured tap.

"Why? He gave you nothing but grief, Rama; he deserved it. You should be proud of yerself!" Mike insisted, completely lost about the girl's perspective. He chuckled good-naturedly as his cheerfully good mood became almost nauseating.

"Yes, but we've made up, you know that. We're friends now. Besides, he got back at me when we did weapon's sparring the other day." Rama sat down in a huff on one of the couches and then picked up the television remote. She clicked on the TV and sat back, taking another sip of her drink and tried to ignore Mike.

As she sat there channel surfing, she thought about that practice. Leo had overseen the weapons session, which happened a day or two after the 'now' famous match. It had been another long intense battle with both of them pushing the other to dig deeper and work harder. Yet, in the end, Devon had managed to get her down and had his sword tip at her throat – and grinning for all he was worth, too. Rama, knowing she could not win them all, quite willingly accepted her defeat. They were square, now, she thought – until the next time.

However, Mike brought her out of her reverie "Ah, but that's not the same, Rama, and you know it. You cleaned up with him and showed him you're the real thing!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm the real thing, all right; a real ninja. So is Devon, for that matter, so what's the big deal, Mike?" she snapped at him, "Besides, all I'm doing is sitting here sipping a soda, watching T.V., with no Foot to beat up, no patrols to do, no training kids, just relax by the pool or whatever and doing nothing. Nice life, eh?" Rama found a channel that appealed to her, so she sat back a bit more and hunkered into the cushions to watch it.

"Say, what's your problem, girlie?" Mike asked, sitting down beside her and draped an arm across the back of the couch. He looked at Rama and sensed a bit of dissatisfaction coming off her. "I thought things were starting to get a little more comfortable for you? In fact Don was pretty happy to hear you were settling in."

Rama took a sip of her beverage and then leaned over to set it down on the coffee table in front of her. She gazed once at the screen and then turned towards Mike. She looked him over for a second, taking in his perplexed face and honest inquiry. Maybe it had been too many years for him to understand that, after a bad injury or the first little lull between battles, the downtime was relaxing and enjoyable. The longer things went without getting into another fight, however, the more anxious and wound up the clan became. It was a given that, because everyone had to keep themselves in battle readiness, there was nothing to take the edge off. The Foot were always plotting something and one had to be ready to go on a moment's notice. Consequently, stress built up in the lair to intense proportions. Arguments would break out over simple things and sometimes fists would fly – well, Rama's Uncle Raphael's fists, anyway. Consequently, the atmosphere in their home ended up electrified with frayed nerves and attitudes. Finally, when another battle would come around, it was like a summer storm that would wash away the grim and heat, leaving behind a clean clear feeling. That was the downside of living so precariously on the edge of human society and being at odds twenty-four seven with an evil organization such as the Foot.

Rama shook her head as she responded to Mike's question, "That's the problem, Mike; it's TOO comfortable. I'm bored because there is nothing for me to do here. I'm a warrior; a ninja." She tried to explain it further, "I'm usually taking my cousins through their lessons right about now. Later, I would be taking a little nap to prepare for patrol in the evening. Maybe my dad would have me make dinner or possibly dessert." Rama sighed longingly, looking away for a moment, "My time there was better spent than it is here." She looked back at the television, moaning with a voice that was empty and tired, "I feel - useless."

"Hey, Rama, Mindy loves having you around; believe me, you're not useless!" Mike tried to console the girl, giving her a squeeze on her shoulder and all. Still, it didn't seem to help much.

"Mike, Mindy is one child with lots of people around to see to her needs. She certainly doesn't need me as her playmate. Many children at my home see me as their playmate _and_ teacher. I've even taught my brother, Tyler, simple katas just because he likes to imitate me." Finally, Rama declared, "Face it Mike, it's not the same, I'm on permanent vacation here compared to what I'm used to." She then reached over and swiped her can off the table, taking a large gulp of the beverage while she sat back in the couch again, sullen and moody.

Mike silently considered her words as he briefly studied her. He really did understand where she was coming from, but from his perspective, those days were thankfully gone! He had paid his dues, as had his brothers – in more ways than one, for that matter. Since they became high profile decades before, the clan did their best to keep their family safe and comfortable to a point where the kind of life they once lived would only be a distant memory. He had tried the hardest to provide a style of living that would replace such recollections. That was why he had built the house, why he and Don had bought up a third of the Ventana preserve they lived on, and why he had purchased that private cove down by the beach. Only a few days ago, in fact, he had taken the family, including Rama and Leo, to the cove for a day of surfing and fun in the sun.

Before they left that day for the beach, Rama had insisted on wearing a cover of sorts, to help conceal her self. Try as they did to talk her out of wearing one, she was quite insistent. "Until I know for sure it's as private as you say, I'll do what I feel is necessary for me!" she had insisted. "It's not your shell that was forced through experiment after experiment, ya know!"

Mike finally relented and gave her a long leather coat that he had thought of discarding, except that it had been a gift from Rahab years ago. It was soiled and quite roughened up from frequent use, yet it held fond memories. He was glad he had kept it, but seeing it waltz its way across the sandy beach, courtesy of Rama, seemed sacrilegious for such an article of clothing. Just the same, it didn't take Rama long to discard it – once she had done a parameter check of the sizeable bit of beach and was certain that no human could just walk in. In fact, she was quite pleased with how secluded everything was. Even where the pathway meandered down the side of the cliff from where it began at street level made it impossible for even a jogger to glance down at them. She noticed that the rock outcroppings at shoreline went too far out into the water for any swimmer to swim around. The surf was quite treacherous there, as well, making it doubly dangerous to consider trespassing in any way!

Leo had watched her while she scoped out the area, smiling at her overly cautious behaviour. Yet, he had felt a tad reminiscent, too, because it reminded him of just how careful he was when they lived down in the sewers of New York. Still, he had to admire the girl for taking herself and her surroundings as seriously as she was. He had thought at the time that Ramiela was true to form a jonin in the making.

Once she was satisfied with the privacy of Mike's beach, Rama had sloughed the coat off as if she couldn't do it fast enough. "Okay, just point me to the waves!" she had exclaimed with a huge grin, which – of course – had everyone else chuckling.

Mike and Devon ended up spending a bit of time instructing her in handling the surfboards. Yet, it did not take long for Rama to catch on. She ended up loving every minute of it, spending a great deal of her time laughing while the waves carried her repeatedly back to shore. She fell into the surf a few times when an errant wave decided not to cooperate, but it only increased the level of fun for her. That day had been quite successful for all involved, especially for Rama.

As he thought back to that afternoon, Mike felt that perhaps she was now ready for yet another challenge.

"Tell ya what," he began, smiling, "we could go into town sometime, maybe tomorrow or possibly next week. It'll give you a chance to get used to the idea." He suggested.

Turning towards him, Rama was slightly wide-eyed, "Ah, how about next week. That way it'll give me enough time so I can find a hole to crawl into where you can't find me!" She shook her head and returned her attention to the television. "I don't know...just thinking about walking among humans in broad daylight still gives me a weird feeling." She admitted.

"That's okay; Gabby was just as scared if not more so." Mike said as he leaned into the back of the couch, "Nearly had a cat in the backseat of Devon's jeep on the way to town the first time." He chuckled a little, shaking his head as he did, "She survived though! Well, sort of, but she still goes into town. Her mom works there. In fact, I think Gabby's due to visit her in a few days. Cassie's business keeps her from coming up more frequently, so they have a standing date every other week to have lunch in her shop. Maybe when she goes there again you can join them?"

Rama had not missed Mike's words of 'she survived, well sort of…' Something had to have gone wrong with Gabby's first visit to town and this did little to reassure her. Rama looked at him with a doubtful expression, narrowing her eyes just a little. Still, why would they deliberately put her in danger? She then dismissed her concerns, shrugging her shoulders as she replied, "Maybe." Then, her eyes brightened a little as she asked, "What if Devon goes...and Seth...maybe you? If Don is back by then and – hey, how about Leo, would Leo go? Raph could come, couldn't he?"

Mike sat there for a moment, a bit slack-jawed with the support team Rama was obviously creating for herself. Then, he slapped his thigh once and barked out a laugh, commenting, "You're such a paradox, Rama. A kunoichi you may be in the dojo, but you're just plain wimpy where it concerns people."

"I am _not_! I can whip anyone's butt!" Rama exclaimed defensively in a huff. "I'm not afraid of anything, especially _people_..." She swallowed a little and then mumbled, "I'm just not used to roaming around in the open is all. It isn't my fault my clan doesn't trust humans," then Rama snapped, her voice hard and bitter, "Mike, my family can't exactly expect to be treated by them in the same fashion _you and your family are used to!"_ She then drained the last of her drink before clicking off the TV. Crunching the now empty soda can and nearly slamming it onto the coffee table, Rama suddenly stood up in a huff. Without any hesitation nor a further word, she marched across the room towards the stairwell door that led to the dojo. As she did, she passed Leo who had just finished a set of katas and was now entering the family room from the same location. Uncharacteristically, she barely acknowledged him. Mike watched in rapt fascination as the girl stormed off, but then shrugged as he noticed Leo.

Before Leo could question her actions, Mike piped up excitedly drawing his older brother's attention to him, "Hey, Leo, Donny called earlier and said he won't be back until probably second week of April, now. It seems his business deal's becoming tougher than he thought."

As she neared the door to the stairs, Rama paused ever so slightly as she caught what Mike had just said. _"April?"_ she repeated to herself silently. Her interest piqued considerably. Back home, April was still about a month or two away. She had not given much attention to the calendar here. Initially, it really didn't seem to matter much to her. Surely, she had not been gone _that_ long. Then again, maybe time was different in this world. Quite possibly, for all she knew, they might not have an April Fools Day in this universe. Then, she heard Leo's reply, "Well, that's a little less than two weeks with April only a few days away."

As Rama slowly opened the stairwell door, she heard Leo ask, "Say, Mike, do you know what's eating at Ramiela? She all but ignored me a second ago?"

Quickly, Rama moved through the doorway, closing it off and then slipping down the stairs. Last thing she wanted was to hear Mike's version of what was bugging her. Worse than that, they might accuse her of eavesdropping, which was something even her own family back home greatly frowned upon. She had also failed to acknowledge her sensei in the proper way. Regardless if she was in the dojo or the living area back home, she greeted Sensei respectfully and certainly did not ignore him the way she just did with Leo a moment ago. Cringing just a little, she hurried into the training room, vowing to make amends with him as soon as she could.

Walking over to the equipment display case and picking up a sai, Rama wondered if they did indeed celebrate April Fool's Day the way they did in her universe. If they did, she only had a few days in order to get some stunts ready. Though she might have to rely on jokes she had already played on her own family, at least to this clan they would be new! She also had a few new ideas as well. Two of the pluses for being in this world was that she could use her favorite tricks as well as try the schemes and pranks she had only dreamt about implementing. Of course, being so bored would only heighten her creativity. "At least it's been helpful for something!" she mused lightly, a grin starting to crease her face. She was never without an idea for April Fools and Rama just knew that a day of tricks and practical jokes would be the perfect release for her.

How the rest of the family would react, well, Rama would take that one prank at a time - and as she began her kata, Rama formulated a plan to get Sensei to agree to her one day of merriment.

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**_RAMICA'S WONDERFUL COMMENTS_**

**_Danceingfae_**_: Time will tell how far Rama and Devon go. With Rama around you really expect Rahab to get much peace?_

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Well I don't think Devon or Rama care about the fight being taped. But there is little either of them can do to stop it or get rid of the evidence without landing in trouble themselves._

**_Gemdrive2000_**_: There is far more to Devon then meets the eye, that is why he took such offense to all the hate reviews! Hopefully now Devon feels better, thus sparing Reinbeauchaser another visit with the irate iguana._

**_VestequeX_**_: I'm sure all of us have made jerks of ourselves at one time or another. Also one must never forget that both of Devon's parents have quite the attitude and this shows too often in Devon himself, but give him a chance and the boy will prove his true worth._

****

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S MEAGER OFFERINGS:_**

**_DANCINGFAE_**_: Glad that this unexpected turn in events met with your approval!__ :0) We do aim to please, but we do need to appease our muses from time to time…which happen to be in full swing over the next couple of chapters from this one. Making up is hard to do but is often necessary for growth – which is evident between Rama and Devon. As for romance, we do have to get Rama back to her world and it just wouldn't be good to get her heart and hormones in a flutter for nothing, now would it? Hmm…moving right along, Rahab will never have peace so long as she's apart of a ninjitsu clan! We'll make sure of that, you can be certain! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Just had to get some 'awes' in there and what better way that between a grandpa and his granddaughter. Never thought Leo would ever reach such seniority, did ya? LOL It was more so for Rama, because she should have known better than to get photographed. Sort of one-upped her, per se! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Yeah, had to do a warm and fuzzy chapter. Needed something gooey after such a build up of angst and anger. Anyway, we wanted to explore the 'grandfather' in Leo just a bit, too! He really is a softy. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_: LOLOLOL You have yet to disappoint us with your creative reviews! As an added bonus, we now know that we can bribe you - with cookies, no less! Interesting bit of trivia; wonder if it works with getting you to update your stories, too? Hmm….food for thought! LOL Well, regarding your review, not a one of us is immune to jerk-itis…we all suffer from it at one time or another. Devon was bound to get over his, but will Rama become a bigger pain in the tail? Only the next couple of chapters will tell! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed_.


	25. History Lessons

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Same old story – don't own them. Would like to, but over the next couple of chapters or three or four, it might be better that E & L have the honors! Right now, it's the calm before the storm….Bwahahaha!_

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**CHAPTER 25 – HISTORY LESSONS**

Rama came up from the dojo feeling a little better after her short work out. Yet what boosted her mood even more was the thought she might have found her perfect outlet with April Fools Day. Not only that, considering how close her favorite holiday was, she was also fully aware that – in this world - her birthday was only in a couple of weeks. Mike had said Don would be back near the middle of April, so that meant he would return around her birthday. Nonetheless, Rama sighed, wondering if she ought to mention it or not. She decided against it, though, _"I think I'll wait. I'd rather celebrate my birthday at home with my own family – that is if I can find my way back by then. At least I know that at home it isn't even close to April yet, which would give me a second April Fools to have fun with!"_ That seemed to perk her up even more.

Rama headed into the kitchen to grab a quick bite to nibble on, soon spying a pear from the fruit bowl as she came near. As she scooped up the fruit and bit into it, Mike walked into the kitchen. He helped himself to an apple from the same fruit bowl before smiling a little at her and then sitting down on one of the barstools. He watched her with interest.

Rama looked at him suspiciously, asking, "What? Why are you staring at me?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "No reason. It's just that in a little while I'm gonna go on into town to relieve Dev at the music studio. We have a deadline to meet, so we're taking turns." He looked over at Rama and cocked his head, "You – wanna go in with me? Don't have to get out of the car or anything; the windows are tinted. Dev'll drive ya back and all." He saw Rama look up at him. Her expression could best be described as a deer caught in headlights. He knew right then that the idea made her nervous. "Honest, no one'll see ya. You ever ride in a car, Rama?" Mike asked and then took another bite of his snack.

Swallowing her bit of pear, the girl replied, "Yeah, a few times. My family takes turns using Uncle Casey's old van to go out to their farm. It's sort of vacation time for us. Also, I rode in one on my way home after Cathy freed me from that lab in Connecticut." As an afterthought, she added, "Although that isn't exactly a good memory, except for the feeling of being free after a month in captivity." Rama shrugged a little as she thought of that long trip home, the fear she had where at any moment David would somehow catch them. Cathy had told her at the time that she had traded vehicles with a friend so that her boss wouldn't know what she was driving so to guarantee their escape.

"Then, it's just as well you put that aside and replace it with a good one! I'm taking the Jag." The turtle commented, waiting for her to take the bait.

"You mean, as in Jaguar?" Rama's interest peaked just a little. _"With tinted windows," _she thought_, "maybe it wouldn't be so terribly bad; if what Mike says is true about how people treat them."_ As she considered this, she realized it wasn't that often anyone in her family had a chance to ride in something as fancy as a Jaguar.

"Yep, sedan style with the windows nice and dark, except for the windshield. You can sit in the back if you want; it's 'safer' there." Mike explained, grinning. He saw the look of temptation on her face, so he added a bit of incentive, "'Sides, I'm sure you're mighty tired of being cooped up here in this stuffy old house, bet you're itch'n to stretch a little bit. You seemed to like getting out when we went to the beach."

Mike waited, grinning wider as he saw Ramiela's interest pique, and he knew she would soon take the bait.

At first, Rama was a little nervous about leaving the estate. It had become like a haven for her, safe and secure without any threat of attack or needing to hide from prying eyes. Still, it was starting to get boring, doing the same thing everyday. She did have to agree with Mike, though. Getting out that one time to surf at the beach had been fun and she did feel better afterwards. Still, between the few chores that Mike allowed her to do and her katas, she had limited entertainment. Even Leo thought getting out would be good for her. He had even given her his blessing when asked about it.

Now, she was cruising up Highway 1, sitting in the backseat with Mike at the wheel, heading for Monterey where his recording studio was. She had put on the leather coat from her beach trip and a hat at first, still unable to fathom going out into public without some sort of covering. However, before they left the estate, Rama had seen how dark the windows were tinted and so she eventually she removed the hat. Mike rolled the windows down while they drove along the driveway towards the main gate, but once they were off property, he rolled them back up. Soon after that, he turned the Jag north onto Highway 1, cruising up the winding road towards Monterey.

Soon, they were approaching the more populated areas of the neighboring towns, eventually breezing through the eastern end of Carmel. Mike slowed the sedan just a little, to give Rama a casual look at the quaint village area where Gabby's mom lived. He hoped that if she saw how small and insignificant the town was, compared to New York City, Rama might adjust better when Gabby took her to see Cassie. "Yeah, just down Ocean Ave here about four or five blocks, turn right onto Lincoln, and she's the fourth business on the right - The Musical Note." Mike exclaimed and added, "Yep, neat lady; I think you'll like Cassie a lot, Rama."

_"Easy for him to say."_ She mused under her breath. _"Still, Gabby's pretty nice, so I guess her mom should be, too."_ She sighed just a little. All the changes she had to face recently with the freedoms she'd only dreamt about seemed just a bit overwhelming to the girl. Ramiela continued to look out of the passenger window as the car breezed through the town, observing the people as they walked along among the shops and streets. The humans were all shapes and sizes with the age group as varied as New York. The only difference was the lack of skyscrapers. "Interesting town." She murmured.

"Yep, and completely safe for us, too!" Mike chortled with a grin.

"No one's ever bothered you?" Rama asked as she peeled her gaze away from the window to look at Mike's reflection in the rear view mirror. She found that hard to believe with all that she knew about people. Prejudice and fear in humans ran deep and that was what made them such a threat to her family. It was why, whenever she was out on patrol, she would find herself hanging back whenever she saw a cute guy. No matter if she thought he might be worth getting to know, the threat humans posed to her family just wasn't worth the risk.

Mike replied, "Only had a couple of run-ins. The first was when we moved here initially. Don took us all out to the Pacific Edge to celebrate the purchase of the land. It's the nicest restaurant in the area. The 'Edge sits along Highway 1, just a little north of my place; we passed it about five minutes ago. Nice location. Anyway, the manager at the time refused to seat us because of the way we looked and who we were. Now, we're talking about my filthy rich brother being refused service for that and you have a fight on yer hands!" he chuckled a little as he shook his head.

Rama's eyes widened as she adjusted her view to see more of Mike in the mirror, leaning forward just a little, "He fought them?" She was truly surprised, as she had come to believe that these turtles didn't do such things anymore.

"No, he didn't physically fight them but he did do the next best thing, though!" Mike looked at her in his mirror, his eyes twinkling brightly as he waited for her response.

"What's that?" she asked, taking the bait.

"He bought them out, lock stock and barrel. Then he fired the entire crew, every waiter, waitress, cook, busboy, maid, and groundskeeper."

"Why'd he do that? Wouldn't just buying the restaurant be enough?" Rama asked as she sat back against the seat, intrigued even more about this Don Tello.

"Well, as Don put it, by firing everyone, you get rid of those that may harbor resentment. The beauty of his plan though was when he gave the newly fired employees first dibs at getting rehired again – for double their pay!"

Rama was speechless and could only shake her head. Finally, she just had to ask, "So, he did that because…?"

"Hiring them at double their pay meant loyalty, my dear! Don knows how to work people to get people to work for him – and having them love every minute of it, too! He's one smart dude and his wealth and power are proof positive of it!" He shook his head, "Just amaz'n what that guy can get away with."

Rama sat there and thought about what Mike had just told her. Her Uncle Donatello was a formidable ninja when duty called and could be downright lethal when necessary. Yet she knew deep down inside he was a pacifist, caring little for killing or even fighting, his interests in his inventions and his family his only concern. To think that maybe he could be as aggressive in the human world, manipulating situations to meet his needs as this world's Don Tello could do seemed farfetched. Still, she had noted during the past two weeks that, other than their way of life, these turtles were in every way as her family was back home. Obviously, their experiences were different which influenced the choices they made. Just the same, it was still astounding to learn about the kind of power Don wielded.

Remembering that Mike had told her about two run-ins with the human population, Rama asked, "So, what happened the second time?"

"Huh?" Mike asked as he looked at her through his rear view mirror as he drove along the highway. "Oh, yeah, that. Raph got beat up about three years ago by some local thugs."

"Raph got beaten up?" She asked astounded, her voice almost at whisper level.

Mike looked back at her, saying, "Yeah. Seems these guys didn't like the idea that Don was buying up businesses and all. Seemed they remembered something like that happening back in New York years ago. One of them had a son who…" Mike looked back at Rama and decided that less was more as far as family history was concerned, "who was a jerk and caused us some grief; invaded our property, which is how Dev got that scar of his."

Rama nodded, remembering only a few days ago when Devon had showed her his one and only scar, something he had hated until meeting her. Now he understood that some scars meant honor and courage.

Mike licked his lips, hoping that what he was telling Rama wouldn't end up biting him in the tail, "Anyway, Gabby was the one who found out who had beaten her dad up, so we paid him a visit and basically told him to turn himself in – which he did. Of course, he had four ugly turtles in his face at the time. I think he was more than glad to oblige us, too!" He laughed a little, but realized that maybe too much information was – well – too much. He could see Rama get a little stiff as she sat deep against the back seat once again. "You okay there, Rama?" he asked, eyeing her a little, keeping his attention on his driving.

"Yep," was all she said, as she turned to look out the window once again. All she could think about was Raph being beaten up. _"Must be out of shape for that to happen!"_ she mused to herself, _"Too long living the easy life. Anyone try to beat up my Uncle Raphael back home and they'd be skewered before they could blink!"_ She knew in her world that her Uncle Raphael was the clan's executioner. Her dad had once told her that Raphael's anger used to be worse when he was younger, which would have made him an even more formidable opponent. The thought that this Raph had been subdued so easily disturbed her far more than she was willing to say.

Finally, the Jag pulled onto a side street from the main highway. Rama had been so engrossed with learning about Raph's beating that she hadn't noticed the quaintness of Carmel had changed to a more big-city feel with Monterey. Mike steered the sedan into a parking lot that was next to a rather large single-story building. "Here we are, Rama girl!" he announced as he parked the car near the front door of the building. "Wait right here; I'll leave the engine running so the AC will keep things cool for ya!" He opened the door, calling back,"Dev'll be out in a sec." Then he slipped out of the car and closed the door behind him, walking quickly over to the front door of the building.

Rama sat there in her seat after he left, noting a few people milling around outside as they took their smoking break. Her lip curled up bit at the sight. _"Don't they know they're giving themselves cancer?"_ she thought in disgust. Shaking her head, she looked away and settled in to wait for Devon. She rather liked the ride to the studio. Mike's car was very different from what Cathy drove when she rescued Rama from the lab. Still, at the time, it was the sweetest moment where she was finally free after a month of being in a cage. Shuddering from remembering that experience, the girl sighed and decided to do a little meditative exercise to calm her nerves. However, she found herself thinking once again about the weapons session where Devon had bested her. At the time, Rama had been quite overconfident with her abilities, which was obvious to both Leo and Devon. Unfortunately, it was to her disadvantage. She really ought to have known better, too. How many times had her sensei at home warned her, "Don't let your overconfidence be your undoing, Ramiela. You can never enter any match feeling that you will win, nor should you enter it as if it will be your downfall. Both thoughts will only lead to mistakes."

The Leo here had said as much the same thing to her afterwards, chiding her gently. She laughed at herself, though, completely aware of her mistake, "I really was a baka and truly deserved to be taken down a notch."

Not too long after Mike left the car for the studio, Rama could see Devon exit the building as he headed for the Jag. Quickly opening the driver's side and slipping in, he turned back towards her, "So, I've graduated to chauffeur, have I?" he stated as he closed the door.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Rama asked, a little confused.

"You, sitting back there as if you were some hoity toity rich lady!" he grinned.

"Hmm….oh, I see." Rama said as she suddenly realized what he had meant. She quickly teased back, "Well, then, maybe you should sit here and let me drive, since you're the one with money!" Rama was unable to hide the grin on her face.

"Got a _license_?" he asked as he arched an eye ridge at her in amusement.

Rama rolled her eyes, "Oh, yeah, right here in my pocket! Wanna see?"

Devon rested his arms on the back of the front seat as he turned a little more to face her, his grin widening, "Sure, Ramiela, I'd love to see your license!" He wondered at her comment, knowing well how limited Rama's life was in her world compared to his. If she had a license, it was probably a counterfeit. Still, he couldn't resist asking to see it.

With her smile as big as his, Rama whipped out a shuriken from the pocket of her coat. She held it up expertly for him to see, her grin turning to a smirk as if she had bested him again.

Unfortunately, the response from Devon had not been what she'd expected.

"**What in the world are you doing with THAT**?!" he exclaimed loudly, quickly snatching the star from out her hand before she could react.

"Hey, I wasn't going anyplace where people are without a little backup. Call it insurance!" Rama shot back, clearly irritated with Devon for grabbing the weapon from her.

"Call it STUPID, Ramiela!" Taking ANY weapon from the dojo is strictly prohibited!" Devon then opened the glove compartment and tossed it in, closing it up and locking it. He looked back at her, "Under **no** circumstances can we let anyone think we know ninjitsu. It's bad enough we're mutants, okay? But if the population or the police ever found out what we can do there's no telling what kind of repercussions there'd be." He saw the look of surprise on Rama's face. Devon shook his head, explaining, "Gabby had taken a knife from the dojo a few years ago. If it were not for her friendship with Cassie, well, Gabby might not be here. It's rather complicated, but…" Devon wondered if he should say anything, but considering what Rama had just done, he decided to go for broke, "Well, to be honest, Gabby was going to kill someone with it."

Rama's eyes lit up like torches, "Kill someone? Gabby? Seth's wife?" The impression that she had of Devon's sister was that she was not as trained in the arts as the rest of the family. By her sweet behavior alone, she was anything but a killer. True, Leo had told her that she had done incredibly well at holding off the invasion of their home, but – either way - it was still a hard thing for her to picture Gabby killing. Besides, she had children to raise up and, so, it became paramount to learning ninjitsu. "Why, why would she want to kill?" Rama stammered just a bit as she tried to comprehend everything Devon was telling her. From hearing about Raph getting beaten up, to the rules of not taking weapons out of the house, and now this new information about Gabby – it all seemed contradictory to the 'safety' she was assured of.

Devon sighed, "I'm not sure if I should tell you this, okay? So, under _pain of death_, you have to keep it to yourself. My sis might appreciate you knowing…but I had a friend who turned out to be anything but the person I thought he was. He ended up being a jerk and…"

"Is he the one who attacked your family?" Rama asked, remembering what Leo had told her.

"Yeah, his name is Jason…anyway, Jason, well, he – ah – coerced Gabby, sort of blackmailed her with threats of lawsuit after she nailed him one on the nose, breaking it as a result. Of course, this was after he tried to…well, he tried to take advantage of her. It's very complicated, but basically, after that, he raped her – twice!" Devon's lips curled in anger as he remembered that time; the guilt still somewhat fresh for the way that he, his father, and uncles ignored all the signs of her assault. Fortunately, if it had not had been for Gabby confiding in Gaele and then in Cassie, life as he knew it now with his niece – would not exist.

Rama recoiled, shaking her head numbly, "I hadn't any idea….wow…he did that – to Seth's wife, to - to Gabby? What did Seth do?"

"Well, for one, Seth wasn't married to her at the time. You see, Jason is Mindy's father…Gabby became pregnant from the rape. But, as far as Jason is concerned, he's out of the picture – permanently." Devon replied.

Rama's eyes widened just a bit, "You – dispatched him?" she asked in disbelief, yet as far as she was concerned, it would have been justified. Now she realized why Mindy seemed more human than Gabby or even herself, and why Seth's physical attributes were unaccounted for in the child. Mindy could very well be the example of what Rama's children or, more than likely, her cousin's children, would end up looking like. Still, in all honesty, Rama was quite confident that she would never have a family of her own. Where she had her responsibilities as future Jonin, not to mention the difficulty of finding a husband in the first place, it was a fact she had to accept. Yet, it was quite interesting to know what she could look forward to if such a union were possible for her.

"No," he explained, "we did not kill him. Don had him shipped off to Australia after the attack on our house, which was sort of a rebuttal to our initial interrogation of him after we discovered what he had been doing to Gabs." Devon sighed deeply, "I still think we should have killed him and dumped his body into the Monterey Trench, but we live a precarious life among humans. We're safe from almost all harassments, but we have to keep the laws and stay within the boundaries of the human courts. A clan tribunal can judge only fellow members of our family. Anyone outside of that, we have to handle delicately." He smiled a little and sighed. Then, perking up, "Well, enough of history, let's get going." He cocked his head a bit at Rama and then invited, "But, I insist you sit in the front seat! I don't chauffeur anyone!"

Ramiela shook her head, saying, "Hey, I think I'm doing quite well as it is just being out in daylight, coat and all!"

"Look, Sweets," Devon narrowed his eyes a little, "I guarantee you; no one is going to attack you or take advantage of you! I'll make sure of it!" Then, pointing to the front seat, "Come on; the clock's ticking!"

Sighing resolutely and realizing she wasn't going to win this one, Rama conceded and eased into the front passenger seat as she climbed over the middle armrest, careful to keep her coat around her and slipping her hat on just in case. She looked back over at Devon and smirked, "Happy, now?" she asked him.

"Hmm…" he answered as he assessed her just a little, "The hat's a bit weird, but – you'll do! So, let's get going!"

He started the car and eased out of the parking space, soon roaring through the lot and out onto the streets. Rama stayed quiet as she gazed out the window, thinking about everything Devon had told her and what Mike had shared as well. It seemed even as accepted as they were by humans they still had to be careful around them. She sighed quietly a little as she considered this new bit of information from both fronts.

At one point during the drive home, Devon turned and looked at her, shaking his head slightly, "You - won't say any thing about what I just told you, right?" His eyes flit from watching the road to his passenger, fully aware that if she wanted to, Rama could quite literally end his life by snitching on him.

"Of course not, Devon. I'm not a blabber-mouth okay?" She smiled a little, "My uncle Raphael taught me the value of keeping confidences." She thought of all the things she had told her uncle in private over the years, knowing that he never told on her. The time he had come in and helped her through some punishment, such as weapons cleaning and other things, of which neither of them spoke about. She now used the same courtesy with her younger cousins. If they told her a secret, she would keep it, unless she felt that it was something the parents really needed to know. In that case, she would give her cousins a certain amount of time to come clean before she told the parents herself. Because of her role in the clan, though, Ramiela was never in a position to help any of them with their punishments – unlike the way her Uncle Raphael did with her. It just wouldn't have been right.

Relieved, Devon gushed, "Thanks! That might save me from Gabby skinning me".

After a while, they were back at the house. When Devon parked the Jag in front, he unlocked the glove box and retrieved the shuriken. He looked at Rama, "Now I have to try and get this in without anyone catching me."

Her face brightening, Rama snatched it out of his fingers without warning, "Leave that to me," she stated as she made the throwing star disappear right before Devon's eyes. She then explained, "I got it out. I'll get it back in."

With a serious face, Devon reached out, placed one hand under her chin, and pulled her face up to meet his, admonishing, "And promise me you will never do that again!"

For a brief moment, Rama felt a little heat come to her face with Devon's touch. She forced it back, however, replying, "All right, I promise. Quite honestly, I didn't stop to think about any repercussions. At home, I'm used to carrying weapons with me. I usually have my sai, my katana, and any number of smaller weapons tucked away in my belt." Rama gave him a weak grin. "Yet, I know this isn't home so I shouldn't have done it to begin with."

"Ah, that's the ticket, Ramiela!" Devon agreed quickly, releasing her chin. He sat there for a moment and looked at her. He knew he couldn't really blame her, for she was ignorant about his clan's rules. Still, if Mike, Leo or Don had found out about what she had done, it might not have made that big of a difference to them, not since there hadn't been any human involvement. Sure, Rama didn't see any harm in carrying weapons, since it was her custom to do so. Yet, for them, it was forbidden, due to their precarious place in the human world. He gave another shake of his head before following her in. As he watched her head for the house, he thought that perhaps it might be wise to drop a hint to Leo about giving Ramiela a talk regarding some of the other rules that governed their clan. In that way, Ramiela would less likely make a similar transgression again. The problem with that, however, was just how to approach Leo without giving him reason to wonder why the sudden need for it. Yet as he considered it, Devon could probably tell Leo the whole truth about what had happened, since Ramiela had no knowledge of the rules at the time. He knew the clan would be more lenient than they were with Gabby, since his sister's transgression with singing in public involved an entire karaoke club, complete with cameras! Still, telling Leo seemed wrong to Devon. After all, Rama had vowed to keep silent about what he shared with her concerning Gabby's rape and subsequent plot to kill his friend.

As she walked into the house, Rama sighed to herself. She had really wanted to pull some jokes on April Fools Day. Yet, after Devon's talk, she wasn't sure if they celebrated April Fools in this world now. Consequently, it just didn't seem right to pull such stunts without the clan's sanction. Perhaps if the clan gave her their blessing, it would allow her to be a bit more creative with her pranks. Without it, she would have to scale back quite a bit and that just wouldn't seem right. Either way, Rama decided to at first consult Leo about it before shelving the idea entirely.

……………:

After the evening lesson with Leo was over, Rama approached him, skirting around the subject at hand until she knew for certain, "I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I overheard you telling Mike that April was only a few days off."

Leo calmly raised one eye ridge at her. At the time he had mentioned that month to Mike, he hadn't been aware of Rama being nearby. He knew at the time that she had headed down into the dojo before Mike and he had even settled into talking about what was bothering his student. In fact, Leo was the one who recognized the problem with the amount of downtime Rama was going through. When he brought the subject up, Leo encouraged Mike to ask her to go out to Monterey with him, if only to break up the monotony for her. "What is it you want to know, Ramiela?" he asked her.

"Well," she began, "I was sort of wondering if you celebrated April Fools Day at all here in this world? You see, with my clan it's kind of a tradition for me to play a few practical jokes on family members."

Leo brightened up, smiling, "Ah, I think I see. You'd like to play a few jokes here as well, too, I assume."

"Yeah, that is of course, if you think that it's all right, Sensei." Rama replied. She decided earlier to keep quite about the rules she had to follow in her home. _"Less means more, sometimes – more tricks for me!"_ she had reasoned happily. The rules were often frustrating for her, but she had to admit that the family was more willing to go along with her pranks because of them. In actuality, there weren't that many to worry about. They were fairly simple, too. There were three that she had to follow. The first rule was that she could only play tricks from early in the morning until twelve noon. The second rule was she could only get each adult once. The third rule was if she ended up getting someone twice, either on purpose or accidentally, or she played a trick after lunch, Rama would be that person's slave for the rest of the day. She very rarely ever broke the third rule, an accomplishment she was quite proud about! However, Rama had made up a fourth rule of her own, which was a rule of honor. It was important to her that she not play a trick on anyone who was instrumental in helping her pull off a prank on another member in her family.

As Leo considered her request, clueless to her rules, he considered the nature of his own family. He knew very well that Mike had taught all the children in the clan to play practical jokes. Gaele taking that now famous photo of Seth in Gabby's closet for one, not to mention Seth's rebuttal days later when he threw his sister into the pool, clothes and all! Leo was also aware of the tension that seemed to be building up in his student. It was obvious that she needed some sort of an outlet before things got out of hand. Perhaps by allowing her to play a few jokes on other members, it might be just what she needed. "Personally, Ramiela, I don't see a problem with it. However, be forewarned that those you trick will want pay back."

"Hey, it is April Fools, Sensei." Rama said casually, shrugging. "It comes with the territory."

"Yes, but they may wait until you don't expect it." Leo cautioned, remembering, again, Gaele's unexpected swim.

"That's okay, because I've had a few jokes played on me in my time, so I can take it." Rama answered honestly enough. She recalled with some amusement how her dad and Uncle Donatello had convinced her she was dreadfully ill with some strange disease. She was five and her Aunt Karena just had the twins. In her little girl way, Rama felt ignored and, so, had pretended to be sick just to get more attention. _"They really paid me back big time with that one",_ she mused to herself.

Leo cautioned her, "I just want to make sure you're aware of that fact, so that there will be no hard feelings when it happens."

Rama nodded eagerly, "I completely understand and accept the consequences, Sensei."

He smiled and soon realized how the prospect of playing jokes seemed to cheer his student up even within the last few minutes. Perhaps that was all she really needed, to do something familiar to her such as playing a few simple harmless jokes on people. At least he had the advantage of knowing she was going to celebrate April Fools Day. Since he was her Sensei, Leo doubted very much that she would include him. Still, if she did, he would at least be on his guard and ready for her. Mike and anyone else Rama decided to pull a stunt on, however, would not be!

Still not believing her good fortune, Rama asked again, "It _is_ okay with you though, right?" Rama was relieved that Leo had not asked her about any rules, not that he would have any reasons to where he was ignorant about them in the first place. With the rules in his world so different from hers, as made apparent from what Mike and Seth shared earlier, Rama saw nothing but endless horizons for her pranks!

Smiling, Leo answered, "Yes. I'm sure no one will mind" He then chuckled inwardly, thinking to himself, _"If a few jokes can make Rama this happy, then I doubt anyone would mind. What's the worse that can happen?"_

Rama grinned, fully aware that _this_ Leo had no idea how her clan greatly dreaded April 1st. For good reason, they called it Rama Day. Each year, they were on guard from the moment they woke up until noontime as they anticipated the intricate jokes she would victimize them with. Quite honestly, simple pranks were beneath her. It was a well-known fact in the clan that Rama would plot stunts months in advance. For the one day they allowed her to, she would wreck complete havoc in the lair. Therefore, it was with much relief for everyone that, at the very least, it was for only half the day and, best of all, only once a year!

In this world, however, Leo and the rest of the clan were clueless. As Rama began to plan, she knew that, without a doubt, they would never know what hit them – until it was too late!

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_I'm going to let Ramica do the honors this time! She pretty much tells it the way it is! :0)_

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ The cheering squad is doing a great job. Rama has been in Gabby's world for I'd say around two to three weeks give or take a few days either way, about two weeks at Mikes and a few days in the New York of Gabby's world. As to your question in what is happening in her own dimension that might have to wait._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Ninja peace is about the best Rahab is going to get in her family. If Rama gets to play April Fools jokes as it seems she will then that peace may very quickly be shattered._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Yep, Gabby's family don't know what they are in for. That bit with Cathy I assume was from Therefore I am when Rama was trying to drive her evil soon to be stepmother away. While in my story, Colossal Mistake was an April Fools day story that showed how far Rama will go to pull a prank on her family members. Her best joke ever! Though she might outdo herself in Gabby's world._


	26. Who's Bright Idea Was This, Anyway?

DISCLAIMER: I have run out of creative ways to say it, so – I'll just say it….Don't own anything with a shell on it's back slinging anything resembling Japanese harvest tools and yelling KIYAAA_! Shrugs_

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**CHAPTER 26 – WHO'S BRIGHT IDEA WAS THIS, ANYWAY?**

A loud yell and a long string of curses came unexpectedly from Seth and Gabby's home. It was just after breakfast with the morning starting out calm and peaceful. However, that peace was irrevocably shattered with the scream coming from within the smaller house. "WHAT IN HELL DID SHE DO?"

Mike, who was sitting innocently outside sipping his newly filled cup of coffee, looked up from reading the newspaper. "Seth?" he wondered aloud, whispering his stepson's name in surprise. Mike looked over at his wife, who was sitting nearby in a lounge chair. She, too, was just as startled by the commotion. Both were shocked that such language would come from her son, as he was one who did not say such words. However, in the next moment, their silent question was quickly answered.

"WHERE IS SHE? I'M GONNA _KILL_ HER, SO HELP ME I WILL!" Seth bellowed as he came busting out of his house, his mouth foaming like an erupting volcano and as red as lava. The crimson froth dribbled along his front and down onto the ground, making a trail behind him as he made for the main house. With his eyes bulging, he seethed,"WHAT DID SHE DO TO MY _TOOTHPASTE_? How'd she even get _into_ my bathroom in the FIRST place?"

As he stormed the patio area, he suddenly locked eyes with his mother. Seth quickly regained a bit of sanity, but only for a moment. Stopping dead in his tracks, he became instantly aware of his behavior – and of the words he had uttered only moments ago. However, now with his eyes watering profusely and blinking almost uncontrollably, he sputtered in rage, squeaking out, "HOT SAUCE; SHE PUT HOT SAUCE IN MY TOOTHPASTE!" Evidently, it was a time-delayed ingredient that was just now becoming active.

Rahab was fully aware of the April Fool's Day adventure that Rama was granted to have. Leo had told all of them about it two nights earlier. Though they had some concerns, they had not assumed anything of this nature. Still, all Rahab could do was to sit there with her cup of tea, her magazine on her lap, and do her best not to laugh. That was all she could do because she knew that if she tried to say anything, she would have had lost all control.

Mike, on the other hand, did what Rahab was trying valiantly not to do - he completely lost it. Looking at Seth with his mouth foaming like a rabid lizard, he laughed so hard, he lost control of his nearly filled cup of coffee. The hot liquid, in turn, promptly spilled all over his lap, creating yet another response from him. Leaping suddenly to his feet as he reacted to the hot beverage hitting his plastron, he yelled out, "SON OF A ...." and wiped frantically at his lap to cool it off.

Now, Rahab was beyond her limits, she had hit her ceiling of control, the line had been crossed, and she couldn't contain herself any longer. As she watched her husband leap about trying to cool himself and then looked again at her son with his foaming red mouth, she let loose with a belly laugh. It was so raucous and loud, that Mike and Seth both stopped what they were doing. They stared at her as if she were some alien that had just landed in their backyard. Rahab doubled over in her chair as she laughed, her magazine slipping off her lap. Every time she would look up at her husband and son, she would go into yet another fit of hysterics, holding onto the arms of the lounge chair in desperation. Tears rolled down her face as she giggled and her head shook back and forth, as she tried her best not to look any more. Yet, she just couldn't quite help herself. "Wh- wh- where's a camera when you need one!" she howled. "Oh my, th – th – that's just too funny…good grief!" she continued.

The commotion brought Leo out from inside the house. When he spied the reason for the ruckus, he joined in with Mike's wife. He leaned up against the sliding door, laughing uproariously at his son as bubbling red foam still covered his mouth. "Oh, Rama certainly knows how to pull a good one…a true ninja to the core!" he snickered.

That was when Devon came sauntering out the sliding door as well, drawn to the noise coming from the patio area. One look at his tormented brother and he was soon part of a trio of riotous laughing. Wiping tears from his eyes, Devon exclaimed, "Got ya good, bro, good grief, she got ya good!"

Seth narrowed his eyes as he dragged a hand across his mouth, clearing it of the now calming red froth. "Yeah, well let me tell you this much, Rama will get her due, you can be sure of it." Then, as an afterthought, he added, "She's just lucky that Mindy didn't beat me to the bathroom this morning!" That statement sobered everyone to silence, allowing Seth to continue, "'Cause if this had happened to Mindy, I'd personally **_kick_** Rama's shell right back to where she **_came_** from!" With that, he glared up once at the stair-landing window overlooking the patio area, his senses telling him that Rama had witnessed the entire scene from inside. "And, I mean it, Rama!" He shot out, turning on his heels to storm back to his house.

Rahab, now under control and exhausted from her laughing, picked her magazine up from the flagstone. She then remarked, "Well, that was fun, for a while, but Seth is right," She looked at her husband and then over at Leo, "If Mindy had gotten a hold of it, I don't think any of us would blame Seth one bit if he trashed Rama."

Mike nodded, although he still sported a grin despite his scalded lap, "Yeah, you're right, Rahab. Leo? Maybe you ought to go and tell Gabby to keep Mindy inside today, or at least until we know for certain when Rama is done with her pranks."

Pushing back his own grin, his brother nodded and headed over to the smaller home. Devon shook his head, chuckling a little, and then headed back inside the larger house. As he came under the stairs that led to the second level, he heard a slight noise above him. Looking up, he saw Rama standing on the first landing as she looked down at him. "Nice job, Ramiela. How you were able to get into their place without being noticed was sweet!" He paused as he saw her smile a little, but then he admonished her, "But, did it occur to you that Mindy might be into brushing her teeth?" Dev did find his brother's predicament hilarious, but Seth had made a valid point. Devon understood pranks all too well, himself, but he also knew how easily they could get out of hand.

"No, I didn't, actually." She replied sheepishly. "In my family, the kids have their own toothpaste while the adults have theirs. I just thought it would be the same here where you appear to have so much more than we do."

"Well, Mindy has this thing about using her parent's toothpaste; makes her feel grown up. Her's is sort of a child's version. Since she's the only youngster here and everyone else is so much older, Min has tried to emulate us." Devon smiled then, "But, no harm. She didn't get to it in time, so I think Seth is just using her as a tool to get back at you."

"_Will_ he retaliate?" Rama asked. She wasn't worried about 'getting her dues', certainly not considering she had her share back home from her family. Yet, Seth had erupted so violently over her joke and his threat was so volatile, she wondered just how far he would take his rebuttals. Her own family would often complain about her hi-jinks, too, but they understood how far Ramiela took things. Consequently, they accepted her antics as part of who she was. Seth's reaction, however, seemed lethal by comparison. Quite honestly, Rama hadn't considered involving his daughter, not at all in fact. She was always scrupulously careful about keeping the children back home out of her April Fool's hi-jinks, primarily because they would be too young to understand the 'play' aspect of what she was doing.

Devon considered her question and then answered her, "He might and he probably will, but I don't think you have much to worry about. He'll calm down; he always has. Besides, it isn't really Seth's way to get mean." He replied guardedly but then added, "Except for when he kicked Gaele into the pool after she took his picture in Gabby's room."

"Why did she do that?" Rama asked as her interest piqued. She leaned against the banister and looked down at him, waiting for Devon to reply. A small smile spread out across her face as she pictured Gaele being tossed into the water.

Devon replied, "Well, three years ago, Seth had made a big deal about not _making_ a big deal over seeing Gabby's wedding dress. Gaele set him up, describing it as having awful colors such as red with purple trim. She had it all planned out," Devon explained, his own grin beginning to grow from the memory, "She knew he would want to see the dress despite Gabby's request that he not. Gaele waited until Seth was in the wardrobe and that was when she walked into the bedroom. We used to play hide and seek when we were kids. We'd spreading ourselves across the top of the closet doors using the walls on each side to shimmy up." Rama nodded, understanding the skill involved with that. Devon continued, "Anyway, Seth did just that to avoid being discovered by Gabby when he thought she was walking into the closet. But it was Gaele and when she walked in with the camera pointed up towards him, she took what has become known to the family as _The_ Picture! It was after the wedding when Seth found Gaele by poolside, reclining; and that's when he shoved her into the water – clothes and all!"

Rama was already busting up, laughing at the image of Seth and the surprised look he must have had. Then, to picture Gaele getting drenched only added to her mirth. After finally getting a measure of self-control, she asked between chuckles, "Is there any way I can see that picture?"

Devon smiled, confident that maybe just maybe he might be able to buy some leniency from Rama's pranks, "Sure, no problem. Ah, but on one condition."

Rama knew exactly what he was going to ask. However, this was April Fools, so she didn't intend to keep any promises. She would lead him on, if only to add more substance to her pranks, "What's that?" she asked sweetly.

"That you absolve me from today." Devon asked smugly. He waited. He watched as a small coy smile creased Rama's face. There was a slight pause as he anticipated her response. In that moment, just a shiver of caution raked up Devon's spine as he wondered what she was thinking. He thought of Seth and his foaming mouth. Fortunately, for Devon, he had already brushed his teeth so he knew she hadn't tainted his toothpaste the way she did his brother's. For that, Devon breathed a sigh of relief. He had been down in the dojo earlier, as well, with nothing seeming to be out of the ordinary there. Maybe Rama would ignore him where they had just recently made-up. It was a possibility. Still, that smile of hers kept growing, which only made him more nervous.

"Sure, Dev, anything you say. I'm not planning on going anywhere so whenever you have time…" and then she headed down the rest of the stairs towards the kitchen.

Devon watched her as she nearly skipped down the steps. He worked the inside of his cheek a little and then – as she turned back towards him and smiled sweetly - he snorted to himself, _"Of course she'll not do anything. We just made up. Why would she go and ruin that?"_ Devon grinned as he continued up the stairs to his bedroom, shaking his head. He would take his morning shower before breakfast and maybe by then, Rama will have already played herself out.

However, what he didn't see was the devilish grin spreading over her face as she watched him disappear into the upstairs hallway. If he had, he might have decided against his morning ritual.

Mike had recovered well enough from being scalded and even found some humor with his situation. Consequently, after watching Leo enter Seth and Gabby's place, he decided it was time to make breakfast. He was doubly motivated to get going on it before Rama had any ideas of helping him. Judging by her strike on Seth, it would be wise for the family to stay on their toes if they were to avoid her antics today. No way would he allow her to touch a plate, not to mention the food, until she had officially ended her 'day of fun'. As he approached the sliding door, he visually inspected it, wondering if she had booby-trapped it in some fashion. Maybe he was a little paranoid, but part of his precaution was due to his own practical jokes he played on his brothers decades ago. Back then, it was his way to amuse himself when life under New York City became too stressful. Being an experienced prankster, Mike was quite confident that he would spot any of Rama's set-ups long before they victimized him.

Satisfied that the door would not fall on him or that the handholds were free from any sticky glue, he opened the screen door and walked into the house. Heading into the kitchen and whistling a tune, he looked past the breakfast bar and immediately noticed something amiss. From where he was in the kitchen, Mike's line of sight allowed him to see the door to the stairs that led to the dojo. However, what he saw caused him to stop short. He paused as he noticed that the tiny blue light was lit up over the doorway, indicating someone had tripped the cameras. He knew that Devon had worked out that morning, but he would have turned the recording device off before starting his routines. Mike also knew that Rama was aware of the cameras, now, but then maybe she had slipped up. He then chuckled to himself. Shaking his head in amusement as he saw the flashing light, he knew that she evidently had worked out during the night. He thought to himself, "_Kunoichi she might be, but she's still a little daft about the alarm and the candid cameras.' _He then snickered to himself as he quickly walked out of the kitchen and through the family room. As he went into the recording area to see what sort of workout Ramiela had done, he wondered why she would be so careless. It was obvious, from when she and Devon fought a week ago, that she did not appreciate being filmed. In fact, she had been quite upset about it. Mike wondered, then, why she didn't turn the cameras off this time the way Devon did. Again, the thought she had just slipped up came to mind.

Switching the monitor on and then flipping the switch for the DVD to start, he waited for a few seconds. Mike sat down in the chair to relax a little. However, as the screen came to life, his calm amicable mood shattered in a second. He immediately straightened up, transfixed. He then blinked as if he could, in some small way, make the images on the monitor disappear. However, no matter how many times he blinked, the image remained the same. All he could make out was someone who in a disguise moving at ninja-speed around the dojo. They were dressed in the very same coat and hat that Ramiela had worn on her trip to Monterey. Mike's jaw dropped as he was stunned speechless. He was becoming so enraged by the second that he failed to notice an almost indiscernible 'click'. What kept his attention distracted was what the monitor was showing. Along the floor of the training room, Mike saw a couple sets of broken chuks that seemed tossed about haphazardly. Not only that, but large bold graffiti was scribbled along all the walls with toilet paper and garbage tossed about the floor. It looked like the city dump, there was so much junk thrown about. His breathing now coming in quick snorts and his eyes narrowing by the second, Mike hardly dared to believe the destruction that was slowly unfolding on the screen. The 'person' was systematically destroying the room, now taking what was left of the equipment and tossing them about as well.

Trying to regain some measure of sanity, Mike took a few big gulps of air. He knew that jokes, for the most part, were fine and he had no problems with them. However, this was _not_ a joke, not by any stretch of the imagination. Right then, Mike was ready to rein in that incorrigible child and cut her 'playtime' shortHe seethed inwardly, _"The curtain has fallen on your performance, my dear RAMA!"_ Then he leaped from his chair and stormed out of the room. He made for the dojo stairwell quick as lightening, determined to see for himself and to verify the chaos within. As he raced down the stairs, Mike was certain that Seth wasn't the only one ready to kick that girl back to where she belonged. All of this brought back memories of Devon's assault years ago on the same room when he was in his turbulent teens. It was the only act that had managed to get under Mike's shell, a sore spot that had yet to heal. That is, if his current reaction was any indication.

However, as Mike entered the dojo with his rage in full bloom, he suddenly stopped short. "What the…?" he breathed out in disbelief. He stood there gawking and shaking his head in utter bewilderment. What had been a thoroughly trashed room to rival anything that Devon had ever done was – instead - perfectly clean. He just stood there, unable to make sense of it all. Despite any logic, the room looked as if it had been thoroughly washed from top to bottom. The walls and the floor were immaculate. The trash was gone without a square of toilet paper to be seen and the graffiti non-existent. Mike stood in stunned utter disbelief. The destruction alone would have taken hours to clean up, so how could anyone be able to do that? He then recalled the broken weapons and was sure there would be his proof. Going over to the storage cabinet, Mike was certain that he would have evidence against Ramiela now, and she would then suffer for damaging the weapons. However, much to his dismay and complete confusion, all the chucks were together, unbroken, and in pristine, proper working condition. He visually inspected the other equipment and found them to be in the same perfect shape.

He scowled, not at all understanding why she would go to this sort of trouble by trashing the dojo, only to then clean it up. Someone must have done the job afterwards, but – if so - who? The alarm had only shown one intrusion. Mike knew the time when Devon had gone down that morning and he knew beyond a doubt that it would have been impossible for him to clean it up that fast. As Mike thought about it, Devon never said a word when he had come out to the patio during Seth's tirade. _"Either he was completely blind or …." _It finally made sense to him, as he now believed that his stepson had a hand in the doings. Mike grumbled under his breath as he stalked back up to the recording room. He was sure if he checked the DVD, he would find some activity after the damage that would justify the clean room. Yet, once he was up there and after re-starting the DVD, no matter how many times he reviewed the disc, it showed nothing but the destroyed room. "How can that be?" he exclaimed aloud, completely baffled.

As Mike sat there in the recording room, he pondered his situation. Somehow, Rama must have fooled with the timer on the recording equipment; it was the only explanation he had. She must have set the cameras up to do a loop while adjusting the clocks to keep the correct time. She also had to rig the alarm from triggering again after her initial visit to the dojo, so that Devon's clean up would not be recorded. Just turning it off would not do. Mike was amazed with the extent she had gone to in order to do this stunt. It said quite a lot about her dexterity with such electronics, as well. Even though the system he had installed wasn't as state-of-the art as what Don had currently in his own home, it was still nearly impossible to compromise. Getting more frustrated as he thought about it, Mike could not understand for the life of him how this figured in as a practical joke! Maybe he was still working off his original reaction of seeing the trashed room on the monitor. Either way, Mike was not a happy camper for the moment.

He was about to leave the recording room to confront Devon about it, when he heard Rama talking to Leo. They seemed to be in the family room, given the easily discernable conversation. "I don't know which of these two pictures I like better." Mike recognized that was Rama talking.

"I personally like this one" Leo replied, chuckling a bit.

Mike silently opened the door to the room and peeked out. The two were standing with their backs to him, obviously looking at something that one of them was holding. Cocking his head in curiosity, Mike went into ninja mode and slipped quietly out of the monitor room. He stepped noiselessly up behind his brother and Rama, intent on seeing exactly what it was they were looking at. So far, so good – not one of them knew he was there! As he reached his destination and raised himself on his toes to get more height, Mike held his breath as he peered over Leo's shoulder. It was then that he saw Rama holding two pictures in her hand. One showed him in the recording room, his eyes bugging out in surprise while his face contorting in pure rage. The other picture showed him standing in the dojo, slack jawed with a dumbfound look on his face. His eyes were bulging out of his head again like before, but this time from disbelief as he stared at the impossibly clean room. It was obvious by his expression that he was not expecting the dojo to be in the kind of shape he had found it.

In that moment, Mike realized that Rama had to have had a camera ready to go. She must have used one of his tiny security cameras to snap the picture the instant he reacted to the monitor showing her handiwork. The same had to be true of when he stormed down into the dojo. She probably used the cameras that were already there to do that deed. More than likely, she slipped into the recording room to stop-frame the video and then printed the images she so artfully took of him…and, it was all done before he could storm back upstairs to re-check the DVD again.

"So, BROTHER," Mike seethed, "which one do _you_ like best?" He narrowed his eyes at Leo, who only grinned back in response. "The last thing this girl needs is encouragement!" he warned, turning towards his antagonist, "and it is just as well Devon did clean the dojo up after _that_ stunt" he growled towards Rama. "It might have spared both your lives."

"Oh, Devon didn't have anything to do with that. He's completely innocent. Hasn't a clue…" she beamed triumphantly.

Mike could only shake his head in disbelief; she truly did work hard for that prank if Rama cleaned the dojo up by herself. "Still, if you hadn't cleaned it up, your shell would be history!" he threatened, glaring at her.

Leo raised his teacup as if saluting, taking a sip of its contents. He casually looked at Rama out the corner of his eye. He noticed she didn't seem the least bit worried, so he commented, "Come on, Mike, she worked hard for those two pictures." He sniggered in pure amusement, "Seems you're getting your dues for all the years we had to put up with you!"

"You didn't see what she did to the dojo; otherwise you might not be so complacent or jovial." His younger brother shot back, throwing his arms up in frustration.

"Need help making breakfast, Mike?" Rama offered quickly, her wide grin brimming from ear to ear.

"NO!" Mike replied quickly as he stared at her almost in horror at the thought. "No need to help today, Rama, not with what you've been doing, so far!" He waved his hands excitedly as if swatting at some poisonous fly that was determined to land on him. He quickly made for the kitchen. He wanted to put as much distance between him and Rama before anything else should happen.

Rama gave an indifferent shrug "Okay I'll set the table, then." She had learned by now where everything was and had made it part of her 'chore duty'. "I can't do any damage there."

Mike looked back at her warily, "You sure? You're not going to sticky up the plates or something with super glue are ya?" he asked nervously.

"How can I when I have to handle them myself?" she replied with a chuckle. Leo could not help but laugh at Mike's unease, taking yet another sip of his tea. He watched from the safety of the family room, wondering what other antics his kunoichi had up her 'sleeve'.

Reluctantly, Mike nodded approval, giving his tormentor permission. He went about collecting the ingredients for the morning meal and soon settled in to making breakfast. However, he did keep a watchful eye on his 'helper' as she gathered up the plates and silverware. He was very mindful of every movement she mad, just in case she was setting him up for a second time.

While Rama sat the table at the breakfast nook, she chatted amicably with the two turtles. Leo leaned against the room divider, sipping his tea, every now and then chuckling to himself. Mike thought it a bit odd, but then again with all that has transpired that morning, he was probably recounting the events. In the meantime, Mike bustled nervously around the work area, cooking. Things were slowly winding down as far as his anxiety was concerned and had, for a moment or two, forgotten about his earlier predicament. Slowly, Mike's nervousness gave way and he was starting to get back to his cheerful self, participating in the conversation as he would normally do.

While he cooked and while Rama chatted with Leo, Mike noticed some paper and India ink on the breakfast bar. He tried to ignore it as he moved through the kitchen, but it kept nagging at him to find out what it was. Finally, unable to refuse his curiosity any longer, he walked over to inspect the items. He recognized the kanji writing immediately, though he had difficulty reading what it said. He turned his head a bit and then realized that was currently upside down. Turning the paper around, he was still at a loss. "Hey, Leo, have you been working on some kanji?" He asked as he looked up at his brother.

"No, why?" Leo asked as he walked over to where Mike was.

"Oh," Rama gushed, quickening her pace a little to arrive at the bar at the same time as her sensei, "I've been trying to remember a scroll that my Master Splinter had taught me. I had it memorized once but I'm coming up a few characters short. Thought I'd write it out to see if that would help me recall the rest." She gathered up the items, corking the inkbottle and rolling the scroll up with the brush. "Rahab loaned me some paper and Gabby had the ink and brush. Maybe when I'm done, you'd like to read it, Sensei? It's supposed to be part of an ancient manuscript that Master's owner, Yoshi, brought over with him to New York from Japan. I think his seventh great grandfather wrote it." She tucked the now rolled-up scroll under her arm and clutched the inkbottle protectively.

Leo's eyes grew considerably as he looked at the tempting scroll, "Sure, I'd love to, Ramiela. I think it would be quite interesting. Maybe your Master and mine have similar writings."

"It's supposed to be about enlightenment." Rama confessed. She saw his face nearly nova with excitement at the thought. If this Leo were anything like her Sensei back home, anything on 'enlightenment' was a cherished treasure. She knew almost in that instant he could not refuse her.

"Careful, Leo, she probably booby trapped it to explode in your face." Mike cautioned his brother and then glared at Rama. She returned his threatening look with an expression of pure innocence.

"Honestly, Mike, you are so paranoid. I can't believe Ramiela would use the entire day and every opportunity for hi-jinx!" Leo admonished, turning back towards his student, "Ramiela, as soon as you are done, I would love to read your scroll on enlightenment."

Just then, the peace and tranquility shattered immediately with a sudden yell coming from the upstairs. It was Devon and Rama laughed at the sound of his anguished shout.

"HOW THE…" he stammered loudly, "WHAT DID SHE….WHERE IS SHE!!!" His voice grew in volume as whatever it was he was screaming about became more evident. "I'LL KILL HER, SO HELP ME I WILL!" he raged. It was easy to discern his rapid movement as he pounded along the second story landing towards the stairs.

Mike glanced over at her, a concerned look in his eyes, "What did you do to him, Rama?"

"Me?" Rama asked placing a hand against her chest. Mimicking the very posture that Mike himself had used on numerous occasions when he was guilty of something, she explained innocently, "I just gave him a new color for his hair that I thought would suit him better. Blue and white was starting to look so – oh - mundane! Obviously, he doesn't quite approve of my choice," She faked a sigh, looking forlorn and disappointed.

Mike rolled his eyes, wondering what color hair his stepson now sported. He would probably know soon enough. By the sound coming from the second level as feet pounded down the stairs, it was evident Devon was hot to trot.

Leo chuckled and took another swallow of tea, shaking his head and looking at Ramiela, "Your day seems to be off to a good start." He said cheerfully, grinning from ear to ear.

Suddenly, Devon stormed into the kitchen sporting his new look. It was obvious he was indeed not happy with it. His hair was now red with an uneven green striping here and there. It would have been perfect for Christmas, but not on Devon. "Now how am I supposed to go to work looking like _this_?" Devon demanded from her, glaring at Ramiela hard as his tail lashed behind him.

"Well, I think you might fit in now with a few singing groups." Rama said carefully, keeping her distance from him and trying not to laugh. This had worked out too well with her step mom not to pull it here as well. Only, in Devon's case, it had worked out much better than she had anticipated. As she watched his face turn darker and his eyes narrow, Rama knew she had to make herself scarce and quickly, too, "Anyways, I have to go finish something for Sensei. We can discuss this later, Devon." Rama declared and then took off at top ninja speed for the stairs.

Devon did not waste any time. He was after her in a second, hot on her heels while shouting at her, "Come back here you – you – you _imp_!" All he received for a reply from her was a long string of giggles and finally the sound of the door to her bedroom slamming in his face. She quickly locked it securely behind her. Devon then began a barrage of pounding and yelling. His desperate pleas could be heard clear across the yard to Seth and Gabby's house, "COME OUT OF THERE, YOU BRAT!"

Back down in the kitchen, Mike shook his head, "I tell you Leo, you want enlightenment? Beware the ninja student who is allowed to play jokes." He went about finishing making breakfast, anxious to get it over with before any more pranks manifested themselves.

"Mike, Ramiela has been taught to respect my other self from a young age. Also due to her training she won't be one to…"

Mike snorted as he interrupted his brother, "So is that why you agreed to let her do this, believing you'll be safe? I have a feeling your turn is coming, bro." He went back to preparing the meal.

They both heard Rama shout through her closed door as Devon continued to pound on it, "Stop being such a baby. It'll wash out."

"It better!" He threatened loudly.

"It will – eventually." Rama giggled evilly.

After a while, Devon resigned himself to the fact that even if he could pummel her, his hair would still be red and green. Reluctantly, yet still seething, he retreated to his room, saying something to her that the others couldn't quite pick up.

When a few moments had passed, Rama quietly opened her bedroom door and peaked out. When she was certain her victim had indeed left the hall area, she eased out of her room and headed for the stairs. She was grinning wide as she descended, shaking her head and chuckling just a little under her breath. As soon as she came into the kitchen she headed over to Leo, handing him the now-finished scroll, "Here, I managed to remember the rest and quickly finished it. You seemed quite eager to read it."

"Oh, I am, believe me!" he gushed. Leo then glanced at the first page or two of kanji writing, recognizing some of the sayings as things his Splinter had once told him. He smiled warmly as he casually commented, "I really look forward to reading this."

"I know it's probably stuff you read before but…" Rama remarked casually. She did her best to hide her smirk, wondering all the while how long it would take Leo to discern the 'truth' – as well as other things.

"Where did Devon go, Rama?" Mike interrupted testily as he scooped the now scrambled eggs into a bowl. He was still peeved at her, although his ire was starting to calm down.

"I think he mentioned something about washing out his new hair color as soon as possible. Of course, then again, he might regret doing that." She chuckled softly, her eyes bright with anticipation.

Leo laughed with her as he took a seat on one of the breakfast chairs. Then, sitting the chair back on its two rear legs, he began to chuckle merrily, "That is just so FUNNY!" he said between fits of giggles as he slapped one hand lightly against his leg. The more he seemed to think about it, the more he laughed, which only made the whole situation funnier, so he laughed even more.

Mike glanced aghast towards Ramiela, "What did you do to his tea?"

Rama was doing her best to keep from sniggering while she watched her sensei. Finally, she managed to say, "I just want Sensei to lighten up a bit, so I doctored his tea some so he could enjoy life for once. I have a feeling for the next hour or so he will find just about any thing immensely hilarious." Rama stated as she smiled, "The beauty of it is, once he snaps out of it he still won't be mad at me." She smirked triumphantly, knowing that Mike would consider it quite unfair.

"Oh, I see…so, because he's your _sensei_, you're giving him an upgrade in jokes, right?" Mike complained.

"Basically, but not exactly." She admitted.

Mike groaned, "You wonder, then, why I won't let you near any food today," he muttered under his breath, "So much for Leo thinking he'd be immune from any tricks."

"In my world the only adult which is safe is the Master," Rama said, "and that's only due to his great age. However, when he was younger, I used to play tricks on him too!" she confessed happily.

Mike could only shake his head as he dished up the food for breakfast. He looked back at her occasionally and wondered what kind of monster Leo had unleashed upon them.

By the time breakfast was ready, everyone, except for Seth and his family, sat around the breakfast table. Devon even appeared for the meal, fresh from trying to wash the color out of his hair. It was just as bright as before with only a little bit of fading. Still, he glared hard at Rama threateningly, who only shrugged her indifference and gave him one of her best disarming grins. He curled his upper lip in disgust, setting his teeth into a grimace, yet all he could do is sit there and….then, something happened. Devon's eyes grew slightly rounded. He began to twitch in his chair a little, looking around at everyone in confusion. He started to scratch a bit beginning around his neck and finally down his arms. It seemed as if he couldn't sit still in his chair. The more he scratched, the worse it became and the more he squirmed the more he scratched.

Leo was watching the whole scenario, his face contorting as he tried to hold at bay the explosion within. Finally, he lost all control, throwing out a long sustained laugh as he rocked back and forth in his chair. He was still under the effects of the tea that helped him to find everything incredibly funny. Everyone turned to watch him guffaw hysterically, tears running down his face as he held onto himself. The chair rocked back and forth with his body's movements until finally it toppled over backward, landing Leo onto the floor.

Mike rushed up out of his chair to aid his brother while Rahab watched in complete shock. Riahna could not help but giggle in turn, completely entertained by what was going on. However, all that met Mike was more laughing from Leo, who was in complete hysteria by this point. "Are you SURE this will wear off, Rama?" Mike glared at the girl as he looked over at her.

Rama ducked her head and raised a hand to cover her mouth trying not to laugh but unable to do so. "Oh, he'll stop all right. But – ah – I think Devon has more serious problems! By the way that he's squirming around, he's certainly perfect for the music business! The hair, the wild dance moves and…" she exclaimed as she giggled.

Devon, however, was unable to sit still one second longer. Without any warning, he suddenly leaped out of his chair and nearly flew up the stairs in his haste to wash off the irritating ninja itching powder. _"How could Leo have agreed to this insanity?"_ he bemoaned to himself. He tried to keep from scratching as he ran, gritting his teeth as he headed up the stairs for the shower. Devon wondered how much longer the rest of them could last against their _evil_ tormentor. Even the most common everyday aspect of life seemed to be fair game to Rama. He could only hope that she had limited the times she would target each person in his family. He could only hope. Yet, considering all the torment he had caused her when she first arrived, she had more reasons not to stop.

Devon had the distinct feeling that Ramiela was only warming up.

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RAMICA'S COMMENTS:

_Pretender Fanatic: Look out Angelo family is right, Leo forgot about rules which means Rama is going to play! The best chapter in a while? I thought we had a few good chapters there, perhaps I'm prejudiced. Ah well, to each's own._

_VestequeX- or is that Donny?- What pranks won't Rama play is more to the point. As you can tell the games have just begun._

_Danceingfae: Rama has big ideas and her day is off to a wonderful start. I'm sure Devon appreciates you taking back all the mean things you said about him before. Reinbeauchaser might appreciate it even more._

REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_ – Ah, they won't know what hit them. And, worst of all, Leo gave his seal of approval. Can we say 'egg on face'? Bwahahahaha! Yeah, we needed Rama and Dev to make up; just wouldn't be right and to be honest, we needed a change of pace as writers – for the time being, anyway! We're crafting the story of Rama meeting Cassie as I type, so that will be forth coming in a few weeks where we're updating one chapter per week. Yeah, we'd like to put more up, but the lull in between allows our muses a rest so the dreaded writers block won't take root! Well, as with all stories, what may be one person's ho hum chapter may be someone else's 'can there be no end to the fun'. We're not offended, btw, as we well know and understand your honest assessment of things. We both appreciate your candor. We both think this chapter with April Fool's will be the most fun by far! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_ – Ah, studies are important; thank goodness you have 'Donnie' there to put a word or two in the review window! :0) Yes, informal as in making up and trying to segue into the next series of events – such as APRIL FOOLS!!!! Oh, the fun is just beginning to start, believe me! Rama will hold nothing back, you can bet on it! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed (and keep studying!)._

**_DANCINGFAE_**_: APRIL FOOLS can only mean lots of fun for Rama, but plenty of worry for everyone else – once it becomes apparent exactly how far this girl will go to 'make a funny'! The ride out to town was a little breather for all of us, both for writer and characters! Yep, Dev and Rama are friends –for now. For how long is anyone's guess, except for Ramica and me! We know how long. Rama's life will only get more challenging, you can bet on it. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _


	27. Will This Day Never End?

DISCLAIMER: _Taken from a comment I posted at the end of this chapter_ - _Ramica and I here on out disavow any responsibility of shenanigans and silly pranks expressed therein the body of this chapter or subsequent chapters that any reader or readers may wish to re-enact upon another. We deny any claims of personal injury to either body or property, and that said action or actions are the soul responsibility of the instigator, absolving those parties who originally crafted the aforementioned pranks within this chapter and subsequent chapters and that those pranks were crafted for the expressed intent to entertain through the written word and only the written word. We don't own the turtles, either. _

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CHAPTER 27 – WILL THIS DAY NEVER END?

With breakfast out of the way and Leo now, more or less, recovered from Rama's 'giggle' tea, he sat outside in one of the chairs by the pool. He was slightly achy, but considering all the laughing he had done over the last hour or so, it was to be expected. He then wondered if Devon's plight was the worst Ramiela would give him or if she had other adventures in store for today. He decided to shelve his concerns for a while and relax; unrolling the manuscript, that Rama had given him to read. He was quite excited to have something from her Master. He was hoping to find some message in it that might help him help her back to her world. He was certain that, if a vote were taken this very minute, everyone would be in favor of gladly returning her. He realized that the only ones who had escaped Rama's assaults, though, were Rahab, Mindy, and Riahna. Maybe she decided to absolve them since they had been more than nice to her. Yet, where Mike and Devon had piqued her irritable side, it was a given that Ramiela would target them more readily. Raph was due to arrive around dinnertime, accepting the invitation from the night before to participate in the 'fun', so as far as Leo saw it, Rama had the whole day to play. He could only smirk at how his brother would react to any prank that Rama might pull on him. Back in New York, Mike had always received a pounding afterwards whenever he would victimize his older brother. It would be interesting indeed to see what Raphael would do with Ramiela.

While Leo read the scroll, he looked up now and then at his family. Seth had managed to ease his way cautiously out of his home to spend some time outside. Gabby had yet to make an appearance, though. More than likely, she had decided to lay low, just in case. Yet, as Leo looked at his son, he could sense that Seth was on edge, as if he was expecting something to happen. He knew from earlier that Devon had made a point of going over there to forewarn his brother, determined that Rama was not going to run amuck without a little resistance. Therefore, Leo couldn't really blame Seth for his 'high alert' reaction.

Mike was over with his wife, talking quietly with her. Occasionally, Rahab would giggle and Mike would join her, but then he would get all serious again. He, out of all of them, should have appreciated Rama's antics. Leo was amused just a little with his youngest brother facing the reality of himself. It was certain that Rama's dad had taught her well. Maybe because of his own keen understanding of himself, Mike was a little more insightful to how far these pranks could go. He was understandably nervous.

In fact, by Leo's observation, most of the ninja members were being very careful where they walked and how long they stayed in one spot. They were probably using all their senses to be alert, now that each of them had been tricked at least once. Leo chuckled. With his superior ninja senses, he was not going to be fooled twice. Even years ago, Mike had finally given up trying to snooker his oldest brother, settling for Raph whenever he was bored enough to accept the expected rebuttals from him. Satisfied that he would only suffer once from Rama's pranks, Leo went back to reading the sacred scroll.

Rahab and Mike were talking quietly with one another, every now and then looking around the yard. For the moment, there didn't seem to be any sign of the practical joker, which seemed to put those outside even more on edge. The tension in the yard seemed to go up a few notches as the morning progressed towards noon. "I just hope Raph gets here soon." Mike lamented.

Rahab laughed a little, asking, "Why? You think he'll do something about it?"

"Well," Mike theorized as he placed his arm around his wife's waist, "at least he can be a target, thereby diverting Rama's attention away from the rest of us!" He took a sip of his tea, relieved that his earlier test of it showed it to be untainted. "I may have to go into work later anyway. Seems there's a problem with the final cut from yesterday. Jeff is trying to work it out, but if he can't…"

"I'm sure Ramiela will be quite disappointed if you go." Rahab teased, giving her husband a playful nudge with her elbow.

"Yeah?" Mike looked at his wife with his eye ridges raised, "Well, she can just deal with it. I've about had it with her." He took another sip of his tea, tasting it suspiciously, even though he had already determined earlier that it was fine.

Soon, Devon came out from the house where he had retreated after warning Seth and Gabby. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed that Rama was not with the rest of the family. He sipped his iced tea from his favourite glass, musing to himself. _"All right maybe this is payback from her for all the teasing I gave her in the beginning. But, Ramiela can stop anytime, as far as I'm concerned. Otherwise I'm going to shrivel up if I spend any more of the day in that shower."_ He groaned wearily. He looked around a little more, doing a visual check of every square foot of space as he walked the yard. Finally, coming around one end of the house, he spied her among the roses with Riahna. At first, he was alarmed since he didn't know exactly where Rama's limits were. Would she trick Riahna as she had done with everyone else? Devon watched the girl intently, squinting and focusing on her emotions

_"Humph,"_ he commented quietly, _"Seems to be taking a break for now."_ He had sensed that her mood was somewhat benign, seeming to be at peace where she was for the moment. Overall, Devon doubted very much that Rama would victimize someone like Riahna. Where his sister's autism was concerned, it was unlikely that she would understand the pranks that Rama was playing. He retreated to a reclined chaise lounge by the pool and plopped down, placing his nearly downed tea on the table nearby. Taking one last look at Rama, he shifted around on the lounge until he found a comfortable position. Then, with his face towards the tall redwoods, he closed his eyes for a bit of a nap. With all the activity he had gone through that morning, Devon was exhausted. He soon felt the pull of sleep as it nudged him towards unconsciousness, its caress too tempting to ignore. For a brief fleeting moment, Devon thought it all wrong, but before he could focus on that fact, he was soon out and fast asleep.

Rama had decided to take a break from her hi-jinx, choosing to spend some quality time with Riahna by picking some flowers. She knew she had all day to pull tricks. She was fully aware that the others would be on high alert, now, because of how the morning began. Rama was quite sure most of them were wondering when or where she would strike next. Giving them a bit of a breather might actually help them to relax, thereby letting them believe that the games were finally over. In reality, though, they had only just begun. She caught Devon studying her earlier, feeling his senses playing over her emotions as he tried to discern her next move. She brought herself down emotionally, putting herself in an area of peaceful reflections. Rama knew it would take a while for Leo to figure out the Scroll of Enlightenment, so she decided to take a break from the torrid pace of being the prankster. She also knew that Devon would be taking a much-needed nap, a nap she needed for him to take in order to do her next trick on him. She grinned inwardly as she slyly watched him ease down into the chaise. She watched as he watched her, though she acted unaware as she trimmed some of the thorns off a recently cut rose stem. As he relaxed his attention on her, Rama gently reached out with her own sense and nudged his already chemically induced slumber, inviting him to relax even more. Finally, she knew he was fast asleep. Yet, she would wait. Timing was everything. She knew exactly how long to take with Riahna and how long Devon would slumber. Until the time was right, she would gather her roses.

"You like playing tricks like this, Ramiela?" Riahna asked, bringing her friend out of her thoughts. They were close in age, maybe three or four years apart with Riahna being older. However, her autism made her seem younger overall.

Surprised by the question, Rama looked wonderingly over at the girl, "Oh – ah, yeah, Riahna, but usually I don't play very many jokes during the year, just once in a while. April Fools day, though, has always been the exception."

"Will you play a trick on me?" she asked. Riahna's face was of pure innocence, expectant and trusting.

Rama tenderly glanced at the girl. She had grown to like her, but when she was permitted to play pranks, she had decided to leave Riahna out of it, as she did not know how the girl would react. Now, she wondered if perhaps she would feel left out of the game and end up being upset. Rama wondered how to tell her the truth.

"Well I wasn't really planning on it since some of my pranks can be a little – ah – uncomfortable. However, I can show you a little trick if you like. Have you ever heard your flowers talk to you?"

Riahna scrunched up her face at Rama's words. "Flowers don't talk. That's silly, Ramiela." She then laughed, the thought of her flowers talking seemed hilarious to her.

"You're right; they don't really talk because it's just me. However, I can make it seem like they _are_ talking. I can make my voice come from a flower so that you might think the flower is speaking to you." She saw that the girl was still confused, so, Rama said, "Here, I'll show you." Rama took up one of her cut roses and held it out in front of Riahna. Then, she 'threw' her voice the way a ventriloquist would. Instantly, Riahna's face lit up as a high-pitched voice seemed to come out of the flower. It said "Hello, Riahna".

The girl looked back over at Rama and gave her a toothy smile, apparently very pleased with the small trick. It was obvious by her reaction that Rama need not explain how it was done. Riahna took the flower and began to talk back, "Hello flower. How are you?"

Rama replied, but the flower seemed to be the one talking, "I am fine. Are you having a nice day?"

Riahna giggled excitedly and nodded, "Yes!" She then turned towards Rama and hugged her, "Thank you for getting my flowers to talk!"

Rama explained, "Riahna, you do understand that it's only a trick and that flowers really can't talk, right?"

The girl nodded in understanding, yet she felt compelled to share this news of her talking flower, "I need to tell Mom, she'll like this trick!" and then she stood up and ran over to where Rahab was sitting by the pool.

Rama smiled as she watched the girl go and hoped Riahna understood that it was just a trick. After all, Riahna was quite adamant that her flowers did not talk. Still, Rama was glad the girl would not feel that she had been left out from having fun. Finally, with some flowers for her room Rama stood up and stretched. It was time to get the games rolling once again. First, though, she had to find a vase for her bouquet.

………

When Rama started down the stairs from her room, she noted Rahab coming out from the master wing, clutching the pregnancy test in her hand. With a grin, Rama cheekily asked her, "Is it good or bad?"

"Mike isn't going to believe this, you know?" Rahab declared "not today of all days."

"Why?" Rama inquired as she waited for her to catch up with her. They started down the stairs together, side by side like good friends.

"Well I'm too old to have any more children, for one thing." Rahab exclaimed, "Mike knows this."

"I've heard of some humans who have had children even after the doctors have declared them past that point. 'There is room for medical error and it's obvious the 'doctor' was wrong'." Rama stated casually as she winked at Rahab. "And, concerning mutants, I suppose the margin for error is - even larger." She smiled now, confident that her next prank would work flawlessly. With Rahab doing the deed, Mike would be disarmed of any suspicion.

While Rama watched from the kitchen window, Rahab stepped out onto the patio to tell Mike. Rahab's own confusion over seeing the positive sign would only help convince her husband. Rama had doctored the results earlier, but it was still a mystery to Rahab how the girl had done it. Either way, Mike would not be expecting a trick of this nature – especially from his wife. When Rama had asked Rahab what she thought Mike's reaction would be, she was told, "He'd celebrate with a party, Rama; he absolutely adores children!"

Rama now watched as Rahab showed Mike the pregnancy strip. She was standing and shaking her head slightly as if in denial, acting as if it couldn't possibly be true and how could it be, all things considered. Mike, upon realizing what it was his wife was showing him and what it meant, leaped up in complete surprise. Rama – and everyone else - easily detected his elation on the patio, except for Devon, who continued to sleep. Mike then grabbed Rahab up in his arms, spinning her around in circles while he whooped with pleasure and excitement.

Rama grinned just a little. From what Rahab had told her, she had figured he would react in this way. Knowing how her own dad was both times Cathy had informed him he was going be a father again, it was expected that this Mike would behave the same way. Rama sighed as she reflected about her family, wondering if Cathy had yet given birth. How she wished she could be there for that event. _"Maybe my timeline is waiting for me; maybe if and when I get back, I won't have been gone at all as far as my family is concerned."_ She mused silently. It was a hope she had been clinging to ever since she arrived at Mike's two weeks earlier.

She then noticed Leo get up from his chair.

He had gone over to congratulate the couple. As he did, Ramiela walked out of the house. She smiled at them, asking, "Good news?" The others turned wary eyes towards her.

"Rahab is pregnant and I don't know how, but…" Mike began excitedly.

"Well, first you need a male and a female and then…" Rama teased.

Mike gave her a sour look, "I meant we didn't think it was possible any longer, Rama. I do not need the 'birds and bees' lecture since I know well enough about all of that."

Smiling and wondering how far to string Mike along, Rama knew the next part was up to Rahab. So the girl kept her senses alert to Mike's wife, for when the female was ready to call it quits. She then turned to Leo, who still had the scroll in his hand, "Is any of that writing familiar to you?"

"Some parts, yes, but I enjoyed re-reading them. " Leo confessed, "There are a few things, however, that I don't recall seeing before."

"At least it isn't a total loss then" Rama replied casually as she sat down on a chair. She half closed her eyes to give the impression that she was completely disinterested in any thing other then just relaxing.

Mike was feeling better, now, clearly elated over Rahab's news. It also seemed to him that Rama had finally filled her quota of pranks and was settling in with her usual behaviour. Maybe now that she had blown off some of her excess energy, she was ready to stop her hi-jinx. Of course, that suited him just fine. Mike didn't have any problems about a few practical jokes but things had definitely started to get quite out of hand with her. He seemed visually relieved as he accepted his conclusions.

Yet, as he watched Leo return to his chair to read more of the scroll, Mike noticed his brother begin to scowl a bit. The more he watched, the deeper the scowl became. Not able to resist asking, Mike inquired, "What is it Leo?" He quickly recalled how _safe_ his brother felt from earlier, that there was nothing wrong with the scroll of enlightenment.

Pursing his lips as he considered what he was reading, Leo finally stated, "It says, that for true enlightenment I need to go back and read every fifth word." Leo shook his head as he hunkered deeper into his chair. He did not quite understanding why he would have to re-read what he had already read. There was a strong part of him that said he should stop, a sense that things were not as they seemed to be. Yet another large part of him could not resist doing what he was instructed to do. His curiosity was too keen, now. He always sought out enlightenment and took any that he found as seriously as he could. Even Seth's Christianity had given him months of learning and debate when the boy sought him out a decade earlier in Nepal. Knowledge was very important to Leo; it always had been.

Mike furrowed his eye ridges, wondering what it was that Leo had discovered. However, he then remembered Rahab's good news and turned back around to face her. He asked, taking her arm affectionately, "You're all right with this, aren't you, Sweetie? It's hard to believe that you're gonna be a mom, that I'm going to be a dad again and Mindy is going to have not only a younger sibling to play with but an aunt or uncle, too, and…"

"Yeah, it is hard to believe, all right, Mike," Rahab winced as she looked at him. She knew she could not hold out much longer and she knew that soon her husband would probably know she was lying to him. Finally deciding that it was now or never, she owned up, "It's hard to believe because – well - it isn't true." Rahab cringed a bit; waiting for Mike to realize about what she was alluding. She scrunched up her face as she prepared herself for his reaction. She knew that he would be disappointed.

"April Fools, Mike - got ya again" Rama crowed happily, bouncing a little in her chair. She was quite smug with herself; her successes today were batting a thousand, so far.

Mike was baffled as he looked around "H - how could this be a trick?" he asked in disbelief, "This is a preg test strip; you can't alter them – can you?" He looked weakly at Rama as she smiled.

"Well, it is possible. You see, my uncle Donatello once found a way to turn a negative pregnancy test into a positive one. Let's just say that I used it once and got some wonderful results. 'Course with those results, my dad thought I was pregnant." Rama laughed, thinking back to how badly he had taken the unfortunate bit of news. He had seen his own mistakes materializing themselves in his daughter – and he was livid with her. Probably more so after he was told about the truth of the matter, but it was certainly the best prank Rama had ever played thus far.

Mike shook his head, as he was not quite ready to believe what he was hearing. About then, Leo glanced over at Rama from where he sat. His expression had soured considerably and, as he recited what he had just read, even more so; "Only a true _fool_ would seek enlightenment on the day of Fools? Only an idiot would accept a gift on Fools day as a true treasure? Happy April Fools." He gritted his teeth, narrowing his gaze on Ramiela. "So, you think I'm a fool, do you, an IDIOT? Well, my dear ninja, you will find out exactly how foolish I can be! It's into the dojo for you. Now, I'm going work off your need to play jokes." He growled out, "But I doubt very much that you'll have time to laugh!"

Rama gave a weak grin to her sensei. "Too much, huh?" she asked as Leo stalked towards her with determined steps. She gave a muffled squeak before leaping up off her chair and hastening towards the house, "Guess so!" In one fleeting moment, she realized another personality trait that Leo shared with her real sensei back home. Never make him into a fool, not ever, not unless you want the shell ripped right off of your back!

Watching the girl hightail it into the house with his brother hot on her heels, Mike had to laugh out-loud, "Now that has got to be the best trick I've seen yet today."

………..

Once they were down in the dojo, Leo put Rama through a series of blistering exercises. He worked her harder than he ever had, having her go from one kata right into the next with barely a pause. Rama did all that was asked of her without complaint, although there were a few times where she thought trying out for Navy Seals would be a whole lot easier. Early on, she had to increase the speed of her routines by nearly fifty-percent; her sensei barked them out so fast. Soon, however, he seemed to be satisfied with her obedience and slowed commands to normal speed. Yet, after working her right through lunchtime, he was still not done. Determined to cover all the bases with her, Leo went to retrieve a weapon from the cupboard and called for her to do the same. As he held his boken, Rama obeyed and walked over to the cupboard. Leo observed she was noticeably tired, a sheen of perspiration coating her face, arms, and legs. _"Good," _he thought to himself, _"maybe now that she's worn out, she won't bother us anymore with her tricks."_

Ramiela picked out one of the other boken swords and felt its weight. The wooden swords were useful for practice sessions where safety was a concern, especially when the session was to be intense. It was what Rama and Devon used earlier in the week when they had sparred together. Now, she turned to face her sensei, adjusting her hold on the weapon in preparation. As she did, Ramiela noticed Leo try to change the grip on his boken as well. However, his hand held stubbornly fast to the sword's hilt.

Rama tried in vain not to laugh, yet she knew it would not help her in the least. As Leo tried to drop the weapon repeatedly to release it, the funnier it became to her. The expression he had on his face went from confusion, to realization, to anger, and finally to resignation.

"Ramiela!" Leo barked wearily.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help it" Rama spluttered, "You did say I could play jokes today." she reminded him.

Leo gritted his teeth and grumbled, glaring at her angrily, "Don't tell me you do this stuff with your own family?"

"Yeah, and sometimes even worse." Rama admitted honestly. She stood there a moment to savour the scene, but then caved as she saw the increasing anger in her sensei's face. "Come on," she offered, "I'll get some stuff to remove that from you."

"Can I trust you to help me?" He snapped, "Or is this going to be another one of your tricks?"

"Look, Sensei, just because I play jokes doesn't mean I don't live up to my word." she stated, "I wouldn't have done any of this if you hadn't permitted it."

"How did you ever talk me into this?" Leo asked wondering himself, rolling his eyes in exasperation as he tried once more to rid his hand of the sticky sword.

"Well, probably because I forgot to mention a few things." Rama remarked coyly, "Like how my family hates April Fools day for one."

"You never told me THAT!" Leo barked, thoroughly disgusted with how easily she had duped him.

Quickly, Rama disappeared before Leo could ask her about any of the other 'few things' she had forgotten to mention. She hoped that he'd be happy enough to be free of the weapon and would let the rest go without an interrogation. Of course, if he sat her down and demanded to know exactly how her family handled her jokes, she would have no other recourse but to tell him. Either way, though, Rama had a feeling her jokes would have to end soon enough.

………..

Leo had to own up to the fact that it was his fault; he had indeed permitted Ramiela to play her April Fool's jokes. Just the same, he informed her that the family had reached their limit and had just about enough of her shenanigans. She had best stop her hi-jinx – and soon, too. "Oh, and one more thing, Ramiela – no more tricks on either Mike or me. Personally, I think we've had our fair share for the day, if not for the next decade!"

"What about Devon or Seth or even Raph? He's still coming to dinner, isn't he?" Rama asked cautiously, remembering her backlog of pranks she had yet to play out.

"I can't speak for them, but I hope they pay you back double for whatever it is you do to them," Leo stated flatly. "Just so you know, Devon and Seth have worked together to get back at Gaele whenever she's pulled a fast one on them – and the end results are NOT a pretty picture, believe me! She's learned many valuable lessons just from their ganging up on her! And, they get VERY creative when they do, too!"

"If they can outdo me, then I'll risk it." Rama decided smugly. Then, she thought for a moment, wondering what words of warning Leo was generously imparting to her. It was a given that Seth was still not amused by her antics from that morning. He had glared hard at her earlier when she was out cutting flowers with Riahna. Rama was still working on Devon, of course, and she knew that he would be hankering for some revenge when all was said and done. It would be hard to decide to quit, now, of course. She weighed the options; she could go for broke and have the satisfaction of conducting her best April Fool's ever, or risk early death.

Chuckling to herself, Rama concluded, "They'll have to catch me first and no way are these rich, pampered kids going to do that!"

Leo only shook his head in resignation at her. He had to admire her grit, that much was certain.

……….

Just after one o'clock and with lunch now over, Rama emerged from the dojo. As she walked into the family room, she noticed that Rahab was in the kitchen. "So, Mike didn't kill you after all, I see." She chuckled in amusement.

Rahab's expression was not what Rama had expected. Instead of the 'yeah, we pulled a fast one on him', her face was stone cold. "Well, he's not happy with me. In fact, he's rather disappointed that I'd go in on a joke with you." The iguanid female clipped off as she huffed around the work island, cleaning up from the midday meal. "He's thinking that we need to look into possibly making me fertile, again!" Snorting, Rahab took the now covered leftovers and shoved them into the refrigerator, slamming the door shut. The appliance rocked just a little from the force, dislodging a few of the flower magnets off the front and, consequently, sending a light rain of reminder slips floating to the floor.

Rama just stood there a little slack jawed. Finding her voice, she apologized, "I'm - so sorry, Rahab…I – ah - didn't mean for _that_ to happen…can they do that, make you fertile again?"

"Guess so." She replied, "Mike's already called Gaele to see if they can do something like that and she confirmed it. He's set me up to meet with my doctor tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?" Rama exclaimed, "Why so soon?" She was starting to feel ill for what she had caused Rahab; feeling awful and recognizing it was mostly her fault for this turn of events.

"Well, Mike doesn't want to wait any longer than he has to…he wants more children, always has." Rahab fumed. Then she turned towards Rama and blared angrily as she pointed one of her clawed fingers at her, "And I have YOU to thank for THAT!" She then threw the wash towel she was holding against the backsplash of the kitchen sink.

Rama was dumfounded; she had never expected this kind of outcome, not at all, in fact. She just stood there flabbergasted and completely shocked. Her expression evidently was too perfect and in that moment, she heard a very familiar click and the words, "Gotcha!" Mike suddenly waltzed out from the monitor room with a grin as big as his house, clearly quite pleased with all that had just transpired. "About time these tables were turned!" he gloated.

Rama couldn't do anything but just stand there, embarrassed and knowing she was completely 'had'. Rahab laughed a little, explaining, "I had to, Ramiela, to make up for my participation from earlier. I hope you understand that." She smiled broadly, pleased herself for the success of her husband's 'turnabout' with the course of events.

"Yeah, yeah, ya got me. That was good!" Rama allowed, shaking her head.

"Picture should be ready any minute!" Mike crowed. "Good thing you rigged that portable camera, Rama!" he laughed.

Rama could only shake her head, smiling. Then, she asked, "Where's Devon?" She knew, of course, exactly where he was. Nevertheless, she wanted to act as innocent for as long as she could, not that anyone would believe her, of course.

"Oh, I don't know what you did with Devon's tea or how he was drugged and I wasn't, but he's still sleeping on the patio." Mike offered, grinning as he basked in his victory.

"Well, I happen to observer that he likes drinking from the same glass all the time. It was easy to lace the inside with my 'potion'!" Rama explained happily.

"Ah, I wondered about that. He's very funny that way. I think once he realizes how you did it, he may not be as picky about what glass he drinks from." Mike replied.

"Oh, by the way, Rahab, I have a favor to ask of you…" Rama asked sweetly, her smile widening.

………….

Devon was still asleep near the pool, reclined in the chaise lounge. He was still on his back and face up, his mouth slightly ajar as he snoozed. With her 'tools' in hand, Rama quickly went over to the side of his chair. Knowing that he would soon be waking, she tried to be very careful. At this stage in his induced sleep, the slightest wrong move could wake him up prematurely. Rama wanted him to wake up just after she completed her 'art project', yet she began to wonder if this would be the last joke for the day until Raph came along later at dinnertime. Praying silently that Devon would not wake, she went to work.

Surprisingly she finished rather quickly. She now gazed at her assignment, quite pleased with the application _"Too bad I don't have a pink frilly tutu, or a flowered dress to put on him,"_ she thought amusingly as she admired her efforts. She was well aware of Mike, Rahab and Leo watching her every move from inside the house. Rahab had provided her with the goods to do the job and, of course, considering who the recipient was of said job, they all had to stand and watch. It was a prank that didn't seem to be too harmful – at least physically, that is. It would now only be a matter of time.

Rama sat the freestanding mirror on the table next to him and then, when she was ready, she raised the camera. In a voice that broke through his wakening slumber, Rama yelled, "Hey, Devon, say cheese!" She then snapped his picture the moment he woke up.

As Devon opened his eyes, for a moment he saw Ramiela looking down at him. He noticed about then that she held a camera in her hands. Suddenly, she took his picture, grinning for all she was worth. He squint his eyes to focus them, but they felt weird for some reason. "What the hell?" he exclaimed groggily as he reached for his face.

Rama then backed up just a little as she watched him. She giggled once, and then slapped a hand over her mouth to control any more outbursts. She waited. She looked over towards the house as she prepared to run for it, but to her horror, she saw Mike closing the sliding patio door! Much to Rama's chagrin, she then heard a click, indicating that he had just locked it. Mike looked over at her and ran his finger horizontally across his throat, smiling. Leo stood just behind him, seemingly in support. Rahab, however, appeared to be yelling at her husband, flailing her arms around wildly. Although not a sound could she hear since the commotion was taking place behind soundproof barriers, Rama watched in complete shock. Then, as Mike gently took Rahab by the elbow, he guided her deeper into the house. It was obvious he was not listening to whatever argument she was trying to make on the girl's behalf. Leo looked back over at Rama and mouthed the words, "Pay back," folding his arms as he prepared to watch the events unfold.

Knowing her way of escape was no longer viable, Rama looked desperately around. Spying the smaller home, she wondered if maybe she could make it to Seth and Gabby's before Devon realized what she had done to him. However, no sooner had she looked in that direction than she saw Seth standing on his front porch. He knew what she was hoping for, but he gave her a negative shake of his head. He was obviously in on the set-up. _"Great, just great!"_ she seethed under her breath. _"Now what am I to do – Devon's going to be really pissed this time."_ Looking around, she remembered the forest. Something about it, something that Leo went to every afternoon – _"Except for this afternoon."_ Rama grumbled irritably. She looked back at her victim, realizing her time was running out; he was becoming more lucid.

Devon was trying to reacquaint his mind and eyes to the waking world while making sense of what was going on. As he touched his face, his hands felt something funny on his eyes. He soon noticed the mirror next to him on the table. Grabbing it up, he looked at his reflection. At first, he just stared and as he did so, he heard Rama squeal out in panic. Yet, quicker than his foggy brain could comprehend, she suddenly took off for the woods. Looking harder into the mirror, and with his mind becoming fully functional by the second, he realized what she had done. More to the point, he realized HOW she was able to do it. He could still taste the tell tale signs of the drug that lingered seductively on his tongue, its overly sweet taste the defining clue. Yet, as Devon stared back at his image, he saw the rouge on his cheeks, his painted eyes, his ruby red lips and overly defined eyebrows. It went rather well with his hair color for the moment, but in all honesty, it was hardly a concession. Growling low and menacingly, he snapped his head around to stare hard at the stand of redwoods, hearing Rama's frantic rush to get away from him. He looked quickly over at both houses. When he saw his father, uncle, and brother standing guard, he knew what he had to do. Without hesitation and going into full ninja mode the second his feet hit the flagstone, Devon took up the chase. He was over the back fence in a split second and had disappeared just as quickly among the gigantic trees, running silent and deadly.

One way or the other, Ramiela was going to be sorry she had ever woken up that morning. Devon would make sure of it, that much was certain!

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**RAMICA'S COMMENTS:**

Danceingfae: Devon might get a chance to get his revenge yet and Rama may or may not like it.

Sailor Vegeta: Oh yes I think Leo is regretting it even more with each passing second. Now you ought to know at least some of the things in the scroll. Continue? we couldn't do anything but.

**REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:**

**_LADY-CHRISTIAN-KNIGHT-88:_**_ Ah, maybe we need to disclaim any responsibility for 'damages' that might happen if readers use Rama's pranks as guidelines for their own? Hmm….okay, Ramica and I here on out disavow any responsibility of shenanigans and silly pranks expressed therein the body of this chapter or subsequent chapters that any reader or readers may wish to re-enact upon another. We deny any claims of personal injury to either body or property, and that said action or actions are the soul responsibility of the instigator, absolving those parties who originally crafted the aforementioned pranks within this chapter and subsequent chapters and that those pranks were crafted for the expressed intent to entertain through the written word and only the written word. Enough said. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Yep, we dutifully admit going for laughs, here! Leo will certainly discover in more ways than one, as will everyone else, to investigate further any requests that Rama may ask of him from here on out! Glad you're enjoying this part of the story. It gets even better – we think. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCINGFAE:_**_ Okay, please read Lady-Christian-Knight-88 and my comments and litigation statement. Ah, timing is everything and in the case of toothpaste, Rama was lucky it was Seth and not Mindy – otherwise, someone's shell would have been ripped right off of them! :0) Ah, some knowledge of electronics taught to her by her Uncle Donatello probably helped. Where they often infiltrate to undermine the Foot back in Rama's world, she would have to have some practical understanding about these things. Retaliation will be sweet, all right! Rama has only just begun and chapter 27 has certainly proved that point. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	28. Cat and Mouse

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Well, we just have to fact facts; we're limited to what we own and cannot claim anyone else's property. That means Rama/Ramiela belongs to Ramica and Gabby and Mindy belong to Reinbeauchaser. TMNT's belong to the obvious as does all other OC's. Finis. Be blessed._

**………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**

**CHAPTER 28 – CAT AND MOUSE**

"So, you think he'll catch her?" Mike asked as he watched Devon nearly fly over the fence before racing into the forest beyond.

"Dunno," Leo replied honestly, watching his nephew disappear among the stand of redwoods, "Rama has had more experience at evading capture than he does. For that matter, she's had a lot more experience all the way around."

"Yeah, but, Leo…" Mike commented as he looked at his brother seriously, "Dev knows those woods better than the back of his hand. Blindfolded, he can tell ya exactly where he is in there." He looked back at the woods through the glass patio door, shaking his head woefully, "I only hope Dev cools off before he catches up with her."

"Ramiela knew the score long before the first touchdown, Mike! I warned her as much." Leo admonished as he laid a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder, "This makeup prank was going to be the last of it, even if I had to have a hand in forcing the issue." He sighed as he turned away from the door, "I only hope your wife forgives me!"

"Ha, Rahab? Give her a year or two and she might!" shaking his head, "She knows Devon's temper! She was already pissed at him for the way he had treated Rama in the first place. She was quite relieved when they finally made amends, but now with this..." As they walked back towards the family room, Mike sighed, shrugging his shoulders, "Oh well...guess it keeps us from getting too comfortable, eh?" He then offered his brother, "Want a glass of iced tea?"

"So long as you _thoroughly_ clean the glass first, yeah…sounds good!" Leo laughed and then headed into the family room. He did his best not to look at Rahab, who glowered at him as she sat angrily in the crook of one of the couches. He could sense the undercurrent of her contained ire, the seething volcano of anger resting just below the surface her self-control that kept it at bay. He swallowed just a little as he heard the click clack of her claws against the side table where she was resting her arm. He felt her eyes hard upon him, but he ignored it. He knew that a decision had to be made. As jonin of the clan, he had to make it – and he would stand by it. Yet, a small part of Leo wished that he had at least allowed the conflict to happen down in the dojo, rather than out in the woods. At least in that way, Ramiela and Devon would have been under close supervised observation.

------------

Rama ran as if her life depended on it, which – as she thought about it – was more true than not. She was grateful that the deeper she went into the forest, the darker the shadows became. The sunless realm was her domain and for the first time since she had arrived she felt a kindred spirit with this world. Shadows were her friends, her comfort, and her life preserver. Yet, as she reflected over the past several minutes, Rama realized that, for the moment, she definitely needed any kind of a life preserver. She took some small comfort in the fact that she could melt into the lightest of shady areas and yet still be undiscovered by the untrained eye. Unfortunately, the one who was chasing her now was trained and had every intention to catch her. Consequently, she would definitely need more than shadows to help her disappear from him.

As she shot through the forest and thought about her situation, Ramiela cursed under her breath at the betrayal and treachery. It was unexpected for Leo, her sensei of this world, to lock her out of the house and then Seth to do just about the same thing with his. April Fool's Day payback was the responsibility of the individual and not by the jonin of the clan. Those were the rules and it was important to follow such rules. The fact that Leo had changed the format of the game without warning irked her. After all, he had given Rama permission to play her jokes. Yet, as she considered that fact, the girl realized that she had broken the rules first, even though those whom she tricked today were unaware of them. _"Well, I guess I've certainly learned MY lesson!"_ she seethed inwardly.

As she leaped over a fallen log, Rama silently berated herself. She really should have played fair from the start. Yet, in all honestly, she had been enjoying all the havoc she had caused up to this point in the game. If she had wanted to play fair, then she should have finished her pranks by noon as she always did and limited them to one stunt per person. Rama should have played by same time-honored guidelines that she had followed back in her world. Still, with all the fun she knew she would have if given free rein; the temptation to take advantage of her situation had been too much to pass up. Consequently, by keeping silent about her restrictions, things worked out in her favor. She had to chuckle to herself, though. Realizing that if she were to talk about being fair, Rama knew she should now be Leo, Mike, or even Devon's slave. In fact, if they knew the whole truth about her restrictions for April Fool's, she would already be fetching, carrying, and doing as much for them as Cinderella had to do for her evil stepsisters.

With her ninja skills at full throttle and her instincts on high alert, she darted in among the brush and tall trees - silent and almost invisible. Yet she realized that, despite her training, she wasn't used to running through such territory. She could certainly walk it, that much was true as she thought back to her time with Leo when she finally revealed the truth about who she was. Nevertheless, now Rama had to admit that the forest was so thick with dried pine needles, that there was a few times where she felt she had made too much noise. _"Need to get back to basics, Rama lama ding dong!" _

Remembering her father's little song that he used to sing to her brought back a flood of concerns and memories. She wondered about how the clan was doing and how her father and stepmother were coping. Did the Master take her disappearance hard or, possibly through his deep meditations, he was well aware of her. That gave Rama a glimmer of hope for she knew that Master Splinter's meditations went deeper than even her own sensei's. Despite his failings of late, he still meditated on a regular basis, sometimes falling asleep, but it was a habit he had maintained, nonetheless. A bit of melancholy seeped into her mind, numbing a bit of the exhilaration of the chase.

Then, Ramiela thought about the rooftops in New York and the alleys where she would encounter the Foot or some other thugs. The thrill of keeping the streets of the Big Apple safe from those derelicts of society was what she was meant for, what she was born and trained to do.

Running again and having someone pursue her had triggered these memories for her. Although Rama was never fond of backing down from a fight, oftentimes retreat was the better part of valor - like now, for instance. She was fully aware that Devon's fury would be his motivation to pound her into the ground. She doubted very much she would win under those conditions. Considering his father was Raph and knowing her own Uncle Raphael the way she did, anger and rage were his catalysts. They kept him focused and sharp – and very, very lethal! Nope, there wasn't any way Rama wanted Devon to catch her, not if she wanted to keep the shell on her back. Where she had certainly given him every good reason to trash her, running to escape his wrath was the best chance she really had, all things considered.

At one point, the forest floor became uneven, forcing Rama to check herself a bit. As she did, she became mindful of the presence behind her, who was not more than a hundred yards back. Despite her head start, though, he was keeping excellent pace with her. To the average person, a distance of that length was a good beginning. To the average ninja, the pursuer might as well be breathing down their back! Though Rama knew that Devon was good in the dojo, this was the first time she had ever been in a flat out race for her life from him. Where he had lived here for many years, she was very much aware that he probably knew the forest quite well. Since she had only ventured here once before, she was at a disadvantage. Quiet as he was, she could feel his presence easily. Devon's anger seemed to reach out towards her, his desire to strangle her quite evident. Still she couldn't help but giggle to herself, reflecting back to no more than twenty minutes earlier. _"Good grief, it was priceless!"_ she chuckled quietly, picturing Devon's painted face. Still clutching the camera in her right hand, no way in heaven was she going to lose it. If she had anything to do with it, there was going to be one more picture to pair up with The Picture that Gaele had taken of Seth. As an afterthought, Rama realized about then that Devon had yet to show her the famous photo of his brother. _"Oh well, maybe Rahab could do the honors, 'cause I highly doubt he'll let me see it now!"_

There was a sudden rise in the forest floor, but Rama caught herself in time, not even losing her pace. She was steady, now, running flat out and dodging around the gigantic trees as she zigzagged through the woods. _"Somewhere in here is supposed to be a sanctuary of sorts." _She commented silently. Her breathing was starting to labor a bit where she really hadn't had a good run in quite a while. _"Need to start that back up, that is if I live through this!" _she bemoaned. She didn't really know what she was looking for, but whatever the 'sanctuary' was, it had to be something completely different from the hundreds of trees that she was seeing.

As she rounded another mammoth conifer, she finally saw it!

It rested atop a large outcropping of rocks. The ground ascended more on that side, due east from where she was running, creating a sizable hill. The rocks fell away on the west side of the rise, forming a natural barrier. As she came to the rocky side of the mount, she looked up and saw a narrow path through the rocks that led up to the apex of the hill. There at the very top stood a tightly grouped cluster of young redwood trees. Young did not necessarily mean small, though. Redwoods in and of themselves were huge compared to the average conifer. These trees were probably the size of very large, mature oaks, but growing so close together that they looked almost like a single tree. Together, they formed an irregular circle, a natural sanctuary – which was just about what Rama was looking for. The trees stretched as tall as they could, given the scant amount of lighting allowed in the dense forest. They were maybe a hundred feet high but dwarfed by the taller more mature redwoods in the area. She thought of going straight up the rocks along the steep ribbon-like path, but then, in the last moment, decided against it. Instead, she continued running straight ahead until she could swing around towards the east and circle back to the south. Rama didn't want to traverse rocks at this stage of the game, path or no path. Again, ninja or not, she was sorely out of shape for such a marathon run. She was beginning to feel the strain of the chase and more than anything, she wanted to catch her breath. She instinctively felt that the east side of the pinnacle was the better choice and, so, dipping into her ninjitsu, Ramiela continued running.

As she had hoped, the terrain on that side was less steep. The ground had gradually ascended, bringing her only a few feet lower from the tightly knit group of evergreens. Easily attacking the path that led up to them, she was suddenly aware that Devon seemed to have fallen behind. Rama could no longer feel his presence and that had her worried. "No way is he that slow!" she grunted softly as she finally reached the cluster. Then, a bit of concern alerted her that something wasn't quite right. Quickly crouching low to the ground, she slipped into the shadows behind some ferns next to the coppice of trees, her eyes sharp for his approach. After a moment or two without even a hint of him, she relaxed. _"Maybe I did give him the slip."_ Rama was quite smug about it_. "Hey, his woods and I outran **and** out witted him!" _She was now almost crowing out-loud, as her confidence soared. _"Well, no time like the present to get a second wind!" _Rama turned around and looked at the trees. By their shape and the closeness of their growth, she knew that, given a few decades or more, the cluster would become one tree, probably rivaling the other giants in a dozen or more centuries. Now, however, they were merely a group of young redwoods that had the fortune or misfortune of growing close together.

As she inspected the cluster, she finally discovered the narrow opening. However, Rama had to give it some serious consideration. Her shell was her biggest problem. Studying the gap, she saw how it bent out and away at one point. It was at an odd angle, but if she turned just so, her shell would slip through easily. _"Like a lobster in a trap if I don't do it right!"_ she thought. "Well, here goes!" and she proceeded to wedge through the single cleft in the trees.

She was soon standing in the center of the rather large natural enclosure, looking around and marveling at the uniqueness of it. _"Sanctuary pretty much calls it what it is!"_ she mused silently as she turned slowly around to survey its beauty. _"One could meditate all day in here. No wonder Sensei comes out here every afternoon."_ Rama thought as she felt the peace it afforded, but that peace only lasted for a moment.

As she was turning back around to face the 'door' in the trees again, she nearly jumped out of her shell.

"Ha! Caught ya! Knew you'd be in here." Devon sneered. He stood defensively in front of the opening, his stance ready for whatever Rama might decide to do.

She shook her head and realized how stupid she was to even consider entering this – what did she call it? A lobster trap! That was exactly how she felt, too – trapped! Rama should have known where she had sensed him earlier, that she hadn't outwitted him. Then, all of a sudden, to feel nothing of his presence would have only meant that he was even closer to her or, at the very least, knew where she was heading.

Deciding that talking her way out was her only recourse, Rama held up her hands, palm out pleadingly, "Look, it was all in fun, Devon…it'll wash off, I promise!" she begged sweetly.

"Not my hair, it won't." he glared at her, putting as much into his expression as he could muster. He watched as she backed away, butting up against the trees and looking around desperately. "No other way out, Rama. I know these woods in my sleep. This cluster here…" he motioned with his hands, "is impenetrable. No way out when you're inside, other than through this opening. You're trapped, my dear!" He chuckled at her, truly pleased with himself. Yet, now that he had Rama where he wanted her, he was at an impasse. The run had pretty much spent whatever anger he had going earlier. The effort had invigorated him but only because of the chase. It felt good, in fact. To be honest, he rather enjoyed the challenge of tracking her. It had been too long since the last time he had to track someone and that had been Gaele, the year before she graduated from high school. From that point on, between his studies and then eventually work, he hadn't had the time to do much in the way of hunting. In all honesty, his lifestyle never really demanded it. He mused to himself, _"The pitfalls of the good life."_

Rama pressed as hard as she could against the trees. Surly, there was another way out. No ninja worth his weight would deliberately choose a place of solitude without a second exit. She looked up and saw that the branches of the dozen or so trees were interlaced, some jutting out across the expanse of the opening. However, to the first branch, it was a good twenty feet straight up. It was darker up there, as well. Where the trees bent in to form a tighter cluster, they virtually blocked out what sunlight penetrated the forest. Possibly, if she jumped high enough, she might be able to bounce off the trunk just below that first branch. Then, she could propel her self higher, thereby reaching it. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to her. Rama knew instinctively that the other exit – despite Devon's assurances to the contrary – would be up there.

"Don't even try to jump it, Rama. I'll be up there faster than you can…" but before Devon could even finish his statement, Rama had already leaped.

She wasn't even going to pause to berate him for calling her by her shorter name. For now, she would let the matter slide. She had far more important things on her mind and they all had to do with escaping and surviving her latest stunt. She did the maneuver exactly as she had pictured it. Leaping at an angle and then catching the uneven bark in just the right way with her feet and one free hand, she propelled herself even higher towards her goal. As she grabbed onto the lower branches, she swung her feet around, forcing her body to follow. In an instant, she landed on top of the hefty branch. However, as she did so, she felt a movement from below. She knew, in that moment, that Devon was doing the same thing. The only difference was he knew these trees better than she did. This only made her more determined to get away and to push harder.

Up the many branches she climbed, leaping where she had to, all the while trying to find that stupid second opening. She just knew it was somewhere, maybe she had to go higher. Yet, as she climbed, she could feel the hurried presence of the one below who refused to give up the chase and who was slowly gaining on her!

"Give it up Dev, I'm not worth it!" she yelled back at him, using the natural echo of the enclosure to confuse him about where she was.

"Your probably right, but I've never been good at giving up!" he countered, huffing as he hoisted himself higher.

Devon knew exactly where that second opening was and he knew exactly where Rama was, despite her cleaver use of echoes and deep shadows among the trees. She was sticking to them like a true ninja and he had to admire her for the times he lost sight of her. Still, it was never for too long.

Both of them climbed, higher and faster, their pace frantic. Each might have been out of sight of the other but they were never out of presence within their ninjitsu. However, Rama could discern just a little shift in Devon's attitude. He didn't seem as – angry, for some reason. _"No, he's just trying to trick me!"_ she declared to herself. _"Great ploy, though, I have to hand it to him!"_ as she continued to climb.

Finally, Rama saw a break in the trees and knew immediately that was her exit to freedom. Just as she was making the last leap across the narrow expanse towards the opening, she felt a hand suddenly snake out like lightening and grab her arm, pulling her back towards her starting point. Only, instead of pulling her back onto the branch where she had been standing previously, Devon - who now occupied that space - allowed her to dangle in midair. Grinning for all he was worth, he had his other arm wrapped around a vertically growing branch for support.

For a split second, Rama hung in mid air, looking down at the fifty feet of space between her and the ground below. Yet, she didn't waste any time taking in the view. Suddenly, she kicked her ninjitsu into high gear, swinging her legs up sharply and around to connect with Devon. Her feet slammed into him and she felt him give way just a little, but he still maintained his hold on her. He braced himself even more against the trunk of the tree that owned the branch he stood on. He tightened his grip around the other branch and steadied himself, shifting sharply to keep her off balanced. Rama grunted as she lost her momentum. She would have tried again and would have fisted him, but her free hand held the camera. No way would she lose it, not when she had worked so hard for it.

"Blast it, Devon, let go…I was only having some fun!" she yelled up at him, flailing away with her legs. Devon only laughed as she growled low and menacingly in her frustration. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, her feet could not find enough purchase on any of the available branches to counterbalance her captor.

As she hung there, she couldn't help but be impressed by his strength and his ability to hold her the way he was doing. He laughed at her, "What's wrong, Ramiela, 'fraid of heights?" he teased.

"I am not afraid of anything, least of all YOU!" she hollered, "Now, let me GO!" Rama did not like being held against her will with the memories that it created raking up her insides.

"You mean it?" he asked in a mocking voice.

"YES!" she insisted, almost desperately. Though she had more than enough practice escaping being tied up, having someone hold her against her will was another thing all together. Devon was strong, stronger than Rama had realized.

"Okay…" he said and then Devon let go of her. The only problem was she fell straight down.

Rama felt a momentary bit of panic rise within her but she squashed it quickly. "You IDIOT!" she screamed as she descended. Instinctively, she twisted her body as she fell, all the while looking for a sturdy branch to grab onto. With so many nearby there had to be one she could grab. Fortunately, she was able to snag a branch and, as she did, Rama felt a jolt in her arm as it sharply stopped her descent. However, she had gained quite a bit of momentum. This allowed her to swing back up and onto another large, almost trunk sized branch. She ended up being about fifteen feet below where Devon had let her go.

As soon as she found her balance, she sucked in a nervous breath and looked far below her to the forest floor of the enclosure. She wondered if it were possible to fall that far and not come away with a broken leg – or two. She looked up to scowl at her tormentor, but he had disappeared. Yet, she could still hear him chuckling.

Ramiela raged, **"What were you trying to do, kill me?"**

Laughter met her wrath, with the next words causing her to seethe even more, "Poor ninja's afraid of heights!" as Devon singsonged teasingly. "You are ninja, aren't you?" Devon mocked her. "Besides, you did ask me to let you go."

"I'll kill you, Devon, so help me….where are you?" she demanded.

"Where am I, Ramiela? Can't you see me, Rags?" Devon laughed.

Rama's eyes blazed in fury, "Don't you ever call me that again, Lizard-breath!"

More laughter and it seemed to be coming from every which way, "Oh, you wound my heart; I don't think I'll recover!" he said dramatically and then chortled some more. "Really, Ramiela, I thought we were passed all of that."

"You called it first, you moron!" she lashed out, looking nervously around. He only sniggered in reply, yet the sound of it had changed. It matched with the difference she felt from him earlier. The anger and rage he expressed before was now absent. She was a bit confused, but her focus was on a different matter all together. She tried to find away off the branch she was on, but it was too wide to see what was right below it. As it was, it also seemed to be the only branch at that level, too. The others seemed to be either too high or jutting outside of the enclosure. Yet, still the main trunks of the trees were too close together for her to slip between.

"Okay, where are you?" she demanded angrily, pressing herself deeper into the shadows that were there. She felt very uneasy not knowing where he was or if he would strike. Her body tensed as she tried to figure out exactly where Devon was.

"Hey, you're ninja – you tell me?" Devon was obviously having quite a time. "Or, maybe I – should tell – ", and as he spoke the word 'you', he was suddenly right in front of her without warning. In an instant, he had Rama swiftly pinned against the trunk of the tree. "Ha! Gotcha - again!" he gloated, grinning from ear to ear.

Before Rama could struggle, though, Devon whipped his tail around and grabbed both her legs in a lock. In that same moment while she was trying to figure out which part of his anatomy had entrapped her legs, Devon pinned her arms to her side and then pressed her carapace harder into the trunk of the tree. He leaned into her forcibly to keep her there, his arms tight around her and feeling Rama struggle against him. He sensed her rage and exhaustion, her anger, and frustration. He had her and now she would pay.

Rama struggled futilely against him, realizing all too late that Devon's face was now mere inches from her own. She was truly caught, and now forced to face his wrath. She gulped a little nervously as she wondered what kind of revenge Devon would exact from her because of all of the pranks she had pulled on him this day. It was because of that and that alone, which sobered her against laughing out loud. As she assessed her handiwork, she had to admit that taking Devon seriously would have been impossible under a different set of circumstances. With his painted face and Christmas-themed hair, no amount of self-control would have been enough – except for now. Now she had better not laugh or else end up facing a worse situation than she had dished out to him earlier.

"Let me go." She demanded between clenched teeth, although her voice was not as forceful as it had been earlier. She felt her insides do flip-flops once again, much as they did when she first noticed Devon after his arrival from Japan. Right now she could feel his strength, feel his breathing against her, the heady scent of his sweat and the beat of his own heart.

_"No, no, no, Ramiela, no way…keep yourself under control, girl!"_ she admonished herself. This was not the time to go all gushy for Devon. Yet in spite of her personal, inner advice, she could feel her heart pounding faster and she knew it was not just from the run or the panic of being caught, conquered, or dropped. No, it was in direct relationship to being so close to Devon. Where he was in proximity to her, and how he had her pinned against the tree, Rama was uncertain and anxious.

Devon pulled his head back a little and grinned as he watched her. He had her, she wasn't getting away and he had won. He had bested her again and he couldn't help but smirk a bit at that thought. He looked down at her. Although Rama was only an inch shorter than he was, the way he held onto her, she was forced to scrunch down some more. She was looking up at him and, then - she quickly looked away, diverting her eyes in an almost near panic. Devon soon noticed that she blushed just a little bit - and that was when he softened.

"What's wrong, Ramiela, too close for comfort?" he teased quietly. Ah, more color, he noticed. Yes indeed, he was too close. He could easily sense her turmoil and could feel the beat of her heart against his chest. Yet, for reasons that even he had a hard time understanding, he didn't necessarily want to continue teasing her - or let her go. The more he looked at her, the more he assessed the day's events and especially the last thirty minutes that they were out in the forest. The chase had given him some time to think while he tracked and hunted her. He knew that she had not made it easy for him and yet here she was - the kunoichi and future jonin of her clan, pinned against the tree, now his prisoner. Slowly, Devon began to change. It was a change that was slowly but surely happening within him and how he now saw her. True, her pranks irritated and at times angered him, but then it took moxie to pull them off – and it took planning. She must have been up half the night trashing the dojo, working the cameras and the monitor, and then cleaning the training room well enough to hide any evidence to the contrary. Maybe he had been too rash to think that this 'girl' was out of his league. Quite possibly, it was the other way around.

Rama gulped as she tried to push down the feelings that were determined to win her over. She thought they were dead, destroyed by Devon's constant badgering and insults from two weeks earlier. Even though they had made up, Rama had deliberately let go of how she initially felt towards him. Gone, she thought, were the butterflies and turmoil in her stomach every time she would watch him. Even more so, believing that he did not see her in the same light and probably never would, she had convinced herself to let him go. In the end, she had been quite willing to accept just his friendship from him. Even when they weapons sparred, her focus was purely on the game at hand and not on how tempting his glistening body was. Yes, during that workout she had noticed how his well-developed muscles rippled beneath his taut skin as he wielded the bokkan. Still, she was too busy at the time to think upon it any more than she had.

Now, however, she was discovering that those feelings had only been dormant, asleep for a time. In one act alone, they came alive again, announcing to every fiber of her being that they were definitely still there. It was now so painfully obvious that she had not completely squashed them but only buried them deep inside of her. Where she thought he didn't feel for her in the same way she did for him, maybe her resignation was the catalyst for playing the kind of pranks on Devon that she did. All of them were personal and designed to rile and irritate. It was as if, subconsciously, she wanted to call attention to her self by letting him know that she was still thinking of him. After all, he had managed to get under her skin, so – therefore - she was going get under his. Groaning inwardly, if attention from him was what she wanted, then she certainly earned it. However, she wasn't so certain if what she desired now was what she longed for.

_"Oh, Ramiela,"_ she cautioned herself, "_What they say is true - be careful what you wish for, or you just might get it_."

Considering all that she had done this day not only to Devon but to his family as well, her greatest fear was that he would use this opportunity to play a prank on her. By using her feelings and then pulling that emotional rug out from under her, it would be the perfect comeback. Rama was no fool; it certainly would be a classic joke. She looked up at him to see or sense what he was planning on doing. Yet she was unable to tell what exactly was on his mind. She tried pulling away once again, but Devon only tightened his hold on her. She noticed that he was smiling at her, now, a smile that was soft and disarming and almost caring.

Yet, before she could protest, before she could even turn her head away from him, Devon's face softened even more. His expression was of subtle surprise as if he had just made his own personal discovery. Studying her face just a little, Devon swallowed, almost nervously. Then, without warning, he suddenly turned his head just a little, leaned in towards her, and then gently kissed her full on the lips.

Rama had been at a loss what to expect, but this certainly was not it. As he strengthened his embrace of her and applied more pressure to the kiss, she sensed something from him that echoed her own feelings. However, in contrast to her self, he seemed to be in less turmoil as if he were quite certain of what he was doing. Quickly, Rama discerned his sincerity, simple and to the point. Completely taken aback, Rama eyes grew large and round at this double and unexpected surprise.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

_Lady Christian: Sorry for responding to your review a bit late. I received it the day of a funeral and posting so really didn't get a chance to comment until now. Practical jokes can be fun, in fact my boss told me one to use for future story, However as Reinbeauchaser said we refuse to accept any responsibility if you try any of these._

_Sailor Vegeta: Oh come on Leo and Mike have had enough they are giving Rama her just desserts, she is ninja she can handle Devon. Hope this chapter was quick enough!_

_Vesteque: Glad you and Don enjoyed Devon's makeover so much. Rama did so want to dress him in drag to complete the outfit. Oh well maybe another time._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

****

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Well, as you probably already know – that is if you've already read Ch 28 – we've sort of turned the tables on everyone's perception of certain unfolding events. Yes indeed, it justifies the story genre that we decided on from the very beginning. What fun it was to make Devon such a jerk! :0) Ah, the rewards, though, are so worth the torture. Me thinks if he should pay either Ramica or me a visit, he shall be apologetic and repentant…for now, anyway. LOL As for how Leo and Mike handled things, they definitely had enough of her antics. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX: _**_Sexy, is he? Hmm…we've only just begun, my dear!!! :0) Ah, the torture we're putting these two through…it'll be a miracle if we – Ramica and Reinbeauchaser – survive our writing stint. Next time when you laugh, try taking in air in-between chuckles, okay? That way, you won't pass out! Give Donny a hug for me! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _


	29. Unexpected Turns

**DISCLAIMER: **Ah, once again – our contract with Fan Fiction does not include any ownership of the TMNT's. Sad, but true. If we did, we'd keep them to ourselves and prohibit anyone from writing about them. Now, aren't you glad they aren't ours? R&R. Be blessed.

As a side-note, we were alerted through a reader that we still had song lyrics in this chapter. They have since been taken off. One day, maybe Fan Fiction will ease up on their ruling regarding the disclaimed usage of lyrics, but until then, we've sadly had to remove all of them. At least, to the best of our ability we have. If you come across any chapters that have songs, please alert us. As much as we do not like the rules, we do honor them as best we can.

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**Chapter 29- UNEXPECTED TURNS**

As Devon pulled away from Rama, he wondered if possibly he had misjudged her. The wide-eyed expression on her face confused him a little. Yet the truth of the matter was she was shocked by this unexpected twist to her day. So much so, that she could not respond to his overtures at first. She looked up at him, trying to discern if maybe he was just toying with her as she watched him studied her face. However, she was unprepared to find not a hint of anger or malice there. Instead, Devon softly smiled. In that moment, she was fully aware that her own emotions were going full tilt and for all she knew she might even be broadcasting that fact all the way back to the house. Yet, despite her attempt, she was finding it increasingly difficult to block out her emotions. Despite years of training, to gain even a second of ninja calm seemed impossible for her now. She just stood there, confused, within his arms tight around her. Then, surprising even herself, Rama replied to Devon's advances by kissing him back in return.

They held it for a good long moment, both closing their eyes as they felt the pull of the other. Finally, Devon broke the embrace and loosened his grip from her. He easily sensed the turmoil raging within the young kunoichi, yet not even he was sure of his own feelings towards Rama. He only knew that for him, there was no turning back about how he felt right now.

Rama took the momentary break to shut her eyes against the overwhelming flood of emotions. She attempted to regain some measure of self-control. No one, not even her Uncle Raphael, had ever bothered to warn her. Not one member of her family ever said that just one kiss could cause the kind of turmoil she had going on inside of her. Rama had never believed for one minute that such an act could undo her to the point that even her disciplined mind would be so befuddled. After all, she had kissed family members before, although they were never on the lips. She had even spent some time experimenting kissing her good friend, Jessie. Yet she distinctly recalled that nothing like what she felt now had ever happened back then. The only difference was Devon had been more passionate about it. The intensity and strength that he empowered over her was startling. It was as if she had been like Sleeping Beauty, only to be awakened with a kiss. Somehow, it triggered a deep longing inside of her that she had never been aware of before. Although she did not understand it all, the stirrings within her begged exploration. Even without heightening her senses, her whole body seemed innately aware of Devon's every move. In response, her heart hammered harder against her plastron. Moreover, she noticed that while his hold on her was still somewhat restrictive, Ramiela did not seem to mind it in the least.

"Devon, your not playing with me - are you?" she wondered aloud, fearful that this was just his payback to her. If she had mistakenly read him, then she was going to be quite disappointed and frustrated. Cautioning herself as she fought to regain just an ounce, or even a pinch of discipline, she admonished herself silently. _"I'm ninja, so I should have some sense of control here!"_

"No," Devon murmured softly, "I was playing before, but - not now." He then released an arm from around her and reached out to caress Rama's face ever so lightly with one finger. He looked deep into her eyes, her dark orbs speaking volumes about the struggle raging within. Yet, Devon was in awe, wondering how she had managed to take him by such surprise. There had been a time not too long ago when he was sure he would _never_ let himself feel this way about her. Somehow, in the beginning, he had felt she was not worth the bother and so far beneath him that it would have been a waste of his time. Yet he realized, now, that Rama was a girl who was full of surprises. However, 'girl' did not seem to be quite the right word to describe her.

Devon knew that she was more of a woman than a girl, having seen a great deal of hardships and suffering that obviously matured her beyond her years. This, coupled with the fact that at eighteen she was training to be leader of her clan, had to influence the role she played in her home. He knew that Rama was a warrior, full of fire and defiance. He was also quite amused that she was not the least bit afraid to stand up to him, his father, or even the rest of the clan.

Yet, in some aspects, she was still a child, as well. With her tricks and pranks, of which she took great delight in using to victimize his family, Rama knew how to have a good time. The way that she could laugh with such boundless joy or how she would drop everything to spend time playing with his niece was proof enough. Yet, another thing that Devon noticed was that Rama was quite naïve, maybe even innocent about many things here in his world. The way she 'mooned' over him upon his arrival, her 'flutters' and 'longings' during the days that preceded their argument, only made her seem that much younger to him and that had been his problem.

Now, as he stared at her, she seemed so shy and unsure of herself; a complete opposite to the way she was a moment before. Devon found her completely intoxicating and impossible to resist. Her complexities intrigued him like nothing else. He then reached out with his own senses, trying to help calm and reassure her, laughing inwardly at her sudden uncertainties. Oh, it was a given that she had touched him deeply, that much was certain. Devon realized that in many ways he had been denying his feelings for her. Covering up his growing interest with his acerbic remarks, his insults, even attempting to best her in the dojo, failed to defuse his attraction to her. Whenever he would start to soften, all he had to do was remind himself how far beneath him she was. Yet, even that had not helped. As they finally developed a friendship, Devon knew the last of his denial would probably end, even with all the jokes she played on him this day.

As Devon pondered all of this, Ramiela reached upward to kiss him again. He found himself surrendering to it once more, allowing his feelings for her to wash over and consume them both. He gently cupped the back of her head with his free hand to steady her, to guide her to him. Her movements were both awkward and uneasy, making it obvious that this was something completely new to her. As Devon assessed her emotions with their insecurities, he knew it was a safe bet to say that Rama was inexperienced in relationships.

After the kiss, Devon pulled away and smiled at her. He visually took her in and, then, more out of curiosity than anything else, he just had to ask, "Have you ever had a boyfriend before, Ramiela?" His words were soft, encouraging, and non-judgmental.

Rama shied back and looked away a little, feeling her face growing warm again. She chided herself, "_Now, what is going on here. I don't normally blush every two seconds_". Still, she was not sure if she could trust her own voice, so she gave a negative shake of her head in silent reply.

Devon grinned, "That's what I kinda thought, because your emotions are just about everywhere."

"I'm _trying_ to get control," Rama complained irritably, yet she could not help but laugh a little. It would be easier, of course, if Devon were not so tempting. It would be simpler, then, to manage everything. "But I'm finding it a little – difficult for the moment." She looked back at him and with wondering eyes and, asked, as she stammered, "Wh - what about you, though, have you ever had a girlfriend?" Rama berated herself silently, "_If I keep this up I'll sound as bad as Jessie when I first met him."_

"I've had a few in my time. Was actually quite – um – 'close' to some, but there were moments I think that they were more interested in going out with me just because I was different. 'Sides, where we can't have children with them, humans are only good for companionship. Having anything other than friendship would be impossible." Devon explained as he took a step back from her. He looked at Ramiela anew, noticing her long legs, trim form, and well-muscled arms. They were not bulky, but lean and taut from years of training. She might not be able to measure up against the human female form, but Rama was definitely feminine, that much he could see.

As she considered his words, she sensed that Devon had not been 'close' with anyone for some time, yet his words had been enough to let her know he wasn't new to relationships, either. Then, again, Devon didn't have to worry as much a she did about what a relationship might mean to his family. That is unless he ran into more people like that ex-friend of his who had hurt Gabby. Rama looked into his face and suddenly realized that he was still wearing the makeup that she had applied earlier. Actually, she knew very little about applying makeup other than some simple basics. Since she did not use makeup herself, Rama realized that Devon's face was probably garish by all accounts. Still, the makeup and his red and green hair, though a perfect color in her opinion for any Raphael child, did look horrible. As it was, she couldn't help but also see how funny he looked, as well. Suddenly, Rama found herself starting to laugh, seeing the humor in the situation.

"What are you laughing at?" Devon demanded, allowing his tail to lash out a bit.

Rama noticed it right off. She clapped a hand over her mouth to try to quell her outburst, but her eyes danced in merriment. "I just realized you still have that makeup on and – well, I can't help but think how silly it looks with your red and green hair." Rama replied through her giggles.

"I didn't put it on, smarty pants. My '_girlfriend'_ must like me this way." Devon remarked sarcastically, yet he still had a twinkle in his eyes.

Rama's heart skipped a beat, quite taken aback with his words. "Girlfriend? Really?" she was not so sure if she had heard Devon correctly or if he was finally getting to the point of leading her on.

He calmed his tail, allowing it to wrap gently around her ankles. He nodded as he smiled. "Yeah, girlfriend. Still, who would have thought there was such a thing as a kunoichi who didn't know what love was." Devon remarked mockingly.

Rama grinned up at him "Hmm…well, I guess that does seem odd, now that you've mentioned it." She tilted her head at him, coyly suggesting, "But, since you've had more experience, then, maybe you could teach me?"

Devon whispered huskily as he leaned in to kiss her nose, "I might have to, my dear kunoichi."

Upon hearing Devon's words, Rama felt her insides do flip-flops. Would this be the moment for her? Her greatest fear was not to ever know what true love was about, to die a virgin. Maybe that fear was unfounded after all. He then moved in and held her again, but this time with affection. He reached behind Ramiela to undo her braid, to allow her dark hair to fall free from its constraints. As he watched it cascade down along her shoulders, framing her, he felt a tug at his heart. How could he have ever seen her as ugly? True, she had scars, but they didn't do anything to hinder her beauty. As it was, Devon hated those shallow human females who seemed to wrap their whole lives around their looks. The ones who always worried about what to wear, or who they were with, and who knows how many other trivial details that were of the utmost importance to them. Still some part of him had come to appreciate beauty in the human form. He had fallen into the trap that the only thing acceptable was what you saw, something that had outward attractiveness and not inward loveliness.

As he watched her hair relax, he gasped, as if finally realizing for the first time what she truly looked like. He gazed upon her with her hair flowing down for the second time. The first time was when she spied on him in the dojo, when they were still at odds with each other. Now seeing how it enhanced her appearance, he shook his head at the stupidity about how he had treated her then.

"You are - stunning, Ramiela. Why hadn't I taken notice of this fact before?"

"Please, call me Rama, Devon." she offered generously. However, even as she gave him permission to call her by her shorter name, there was a strong feeling within her that she was battling. She feared he was really just playing her for a baka. She could not help but recall the past insults he had thrown at her, before they had made up and finally becoming friends. As she heard his words of praise and adoration, she bristled, just a little, asking "But, I thought you said I was…"

Devon felt her resistance and understood why. Stroking her face gently with one hand, he ordered sharply, "I know what I said before, but please forget it, all right?" but then he softened once again, "You're beautiful, Rama, and when your hair is down like that it just adds something more."

Rama blushed, again turning her head away just a little. She was not used to hearing such words like what Devon was telling her, not from him anyway. Now, she felt so on top of the world that she might never want to come back down again.

………

Rahab glanced at the clock tempestuously, her arms folded across her chest in withheld anger. Tapping her foot in irritation, she felt that at least one of the two ninjas ought to have returned by this time. If Ramiela were successful in avoiding Devon's wrath, she would have sneaked back to the safety of the house by now. Of course, she might have become lost in the woods while trying to escape him. Knowing of the 'things' that lurked there Rahab's concern heightened considerably. Just the same, Devon should have given up in frustration, as well. It would not be unlike him to leave Rama lost in the woods and alone – despite the dangers.

She glanced at the living room clock once again, her face dark with impatience. It was here that Mike had taken her and, upon his request, it was here she was supposed to stay – until she cooled off. Whenever clan business involved their family life, there was a certain posturing that Mike implemented. Rahab was quite familiar with it. Only during those times would she back down. However, with as much time that had elapsed since the 'chase' began, her 'cooling off' period was coming dangerously close to ending. The fact that neither Rama nor Devon had returned made Rahab wonder if things had spun out of control in the woods. She paced the carpet again for the umpteenth time, grumbling under her breath as she lashed her tail out in irritation. Then, giving it one hard slap against the floor, she finally had enough. Storming out of the room, she headed towards the kitchen where she knew her husband and her brother-in-law were. Fuming pass the point of no return, she would give them both a blistering account of what she thought of this completely ugly situation.

Rahab found Mike starting the preparations for dinner while Leo kept him company at the breakfast bar. Leo was currently munching on an apple, engrossed with discussing with Mike Don's impending arrival the following week.

As she charged into the kitchen, Rahab asked sharply, "Did either of you realize that neither of them has come back yet. If Ramiela has been hurt, Leo, I am holding _you_ responsible." she glared a warning, crossing her arms and allowing her scimitar nails to beat a nervous tattoo on her arms.

Both turtles turned and looked at her dispassionately. The crook of Leo's mouth twitched just a little as he watched his sister-in-law's claws do their agitated dance along her arm. He then noticed a rather evil smile play along her lips. Yes, she knew he was still nervous about her natural armament. Consequently, he casually slipped off the bar stool and slowly worked himself around towards his brother, putting some distance between himself and the obviously enraged iguana.

Mike took in his wife's stance and dark icy glare. He knew that it did not bode well for either of them. Trying to console her, Mike replied patiently, "Devon has probably taught her a lesson and then pretended to abandon her in the woods just to see if she can find her way back. Please, relax Rahab, they're both fine." He shook his head as if to dispel any uncertainties, going back to preparing the meal.

Leo turned a calm gaze on Rahab trying to ignore her agitation as he asked, "Tell me how I'm responsible? Ramiela is the one who has been playing pranks all day long. I was hoping to put a stop to it, is all. She's had enough fun for one day, Rahab!" He tore off another bite of his apple and watched her, chewing vigorously.

The iguanid arched an eye ridge at him and advanced slowly, "Did it ever occur to you to limit her pranks in any way when she asked to do them?" she demanded as she dropped her arms down.

Shifting his weight just a little to face her better, Leo confessed softly, "Not at the time, but I didn't realize then that this was the sort of pranks she pulled. She only admitted to me a while ago that her family hates April Fools. Now, I'm starting to see why."

"Then that makes you responsible, Leo," Rahab hissed "for assuming too much. You out of all of us should be the one locked out of this house and facing every one's wrath, including Seth's anger. You were the one who unleashed this monster, after all."

"I told her in the dojo this morning that the family had enough and she best not play any more tricks on Mike or me." Leo countered defensively. "I can't be a dictator to her, Rahab; she's a kunoichi, a future jonin of her clan."

She gave a short barking laugh, "A future jonin would not have such free will to play havoc to her hearts content. She must have restrictions of some sort. Did she happen to mention anything about rules?"

Leo worked the piece of apple in his mouth a little. It never really occurred to him, now that he thought about it. He answered, somewhat weakly, "No, she didn't - actually. I figured with her training and all…" he labored out sheepishly.

"SHE'S A CHILD, LEO!" Rahab declared loudly. "Rama is still a teenager and as you know, all teens will push the limits just to see how far they can."

"Okay, you have a point. When she gets back I'll ask her about it." Leo offered, taking yet another bite of his apple. He crunched determinedly, not at all pleased that he had missed this obvious point earlier.

"IF she gets back, you mean. Did you even forbid her to terrorize Seth and Devon anymore? Obviously, you didn't!" Rahab said in exasperation.

Leo countered, "Well, I told her that if she intended to play any more on them, she was on her own."

Leo's eyes widened ever so slightly as Rahab threw her hands up into the air in frustration. "ON HER OWN…is that what you call it? You forced the hand by locking her out. Leo, you know what Devon is like when he is angry."

Mike realized that his wife did have a point. As he listened to the battle of words between Rahab and his brother, he knew that what she was saying was true. Rama had only become a terror since Leo gave her the day to do her pranks. There was not any mention of rules or restrictions, either. Still, just the same, the girl had to take her lumps regardless and, overall, she had certainly deserved them. He continued to watch Rahab and Leo before carefully intervening. After his wife's final torrid remark, he suggested to her, "Tell you what, Rahab, if the kids aren't back by the time Raph gets here, we'll all go looking for them." He then admitted, looking at his brother carefully, "True, Leo could have found out a bit more about her plans but considering how Rama was getting so on edge and all…"

Rahab whirled on her mate "On edge? What is that supposed to mean, Mike? Ramiela is better behaved than our children were at that age; she could have been given something else to do to keep her calm!"

"Well, maybe, but she was a volcano about ready to blow and Leo figured letting her play a few tricks might ease the pressure," Mike explained on Leo's behalf.

"I didn't realize we'd end up paying like this, though." Leo groaned, "If she's still here next year she'll be lucky if I allow her to do one trick for the whole day."

Rahab smiled as she considered Leo's words, satisfied that she had made her point. Then, she changed the topic, "Has it occurred to either of you that her own family might be searching for a way to get her back? Her family is younger and, from the sound of it, more connected to their ninja roots."

"Meaning what, Love?" Mike asked defensively. How would his wife know what that would even mean? It was not as if they had schooled Rahab as they had been in the ninja arts. She knew what he and his brothers were and maybe a little of what they used to do, based on the few attacks she experienced by their enemies. Yet, Rahab never wanted to know much else other than making sure her children could protect themselves. Though she abhorred violence, she had seen enough to know it was important for Gaele and her brothers to learn how to defend each other.

Rahab answered slowly for impact, "If they find out what happened to Ramiela and start looking for her, they just might manage to track her down. If she's been seriously hurt by Devon, do you really want to answer to them?" Rahab asked, "Mike, knowing how protective you were about Gaele when she was dating, I wouldn't want to know how protective Ramiela's father is to her. Do you think _he _will listen to reason?"

"Hey, I'm a reasonable kind of guy," Mike refuted uneasily as he snorted.

"Not where Gaele was concerned. Rama's father has as much to worry about with protecting _his _little girl, too." Rahab remarked.

Mike nodded slightly, finally realizing exactly what his wife was trying to say. Knowing how protective he was with all of the kids when they were little, he would stop at nothing to keep them safe. The attack in Croton was a prime example, as was the assault on the house in Mojave. At that time, they had enemies, old enemies that refused to go away. He and his family lived precariously back then and - until the one incident three years ago - had found a measure of peace since that time. If in deed, what Rahab was saying turned out to be true, he knew that Rama's family would want a rebuttal. Given the fact that he and his family no longer had to worry about going into battle, the odds would be against them. No matter how many katas or sparring matches they did, real fighting was where abilities were honed. It was just a simple matter of physics.

…………..

Meanwhile, Devon and Rama had climbed back down to the forest floor, still within the sanctuary. Rama looked around shyly, not knowing what to expect but she was certain Devon did. He gently pulled her to him, took her in his arms and kissed her once again. After their lips parted, she looked up into his eyes and saw longing. She smiled somewhat shyly and then gulped a little. She was not so sure about this, now that the moment had arrived. Yet she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she wanted him and in the worse way, too.

Then, Devon cooed softly into her ear, rubbing his cheek against hers, "Well, my dear Rama, we couldn't have found a more private place than this." He moved his head to face her again and kissed her once more, only deeper and longer while running his hands through her hair. In that moment, all of Rama's reservations melted away as his passion overwhelmed her. She closed her eyes against the onslaught of her emotions, gasping just a little as she tried to make sense of her body's response to this new experience. Devon caressed her face with his lips, kissing her and gradually moving down her neck. He caressed it slowly and then as he moved further down he nibbled at her shoulders. Her knees buckled involuntarily, where he then gently lowered her to the ground. He took care to cup her head protectively as she rested beneath him. She was dizzy, lost in a sea of emotions as he enveloped her lips once again with his own. Soon and before she could protest, Rama fell hopelessly and irrevocably in love.

Over the course of the next hour, they spent time in the sanctuary exploring this new aspect of their relationship. The enclosure kept them secreted away from prying eyes. While they kissed, Devon could sense her emotions spike off the charts. He knew that if she did not regain control, in no time at all his stepfather and Leo would know what they were doing. Under no circumstances would he allow that to happen. Consequently, he schooled Rama in a few pointers about getting a handle on her emotions. It was important for her to mask that aspect of their romance so that they would not be so noticeable. However, he had to admit to himself that right now he really didn't care. Still, in a ninja clan where it was so easy for others could pick up on emotions, being able to control those emotions meant greater privacy all the way around.

At first, both of them were quite willing to take the relationship as far as they could. Yet, at one point as they came up for air, Rama briefly recalled her father's growing love for Cathy. Between herself and Uncle Raphael, Rama had staged a private dinner for Mike and her future stepmother. With music playing in the background, it was the perfect setting for romance. Rama had picked out the songs, with one of them about two young teens who were going all the way only for them to regret it later. It was Rama's way of telling her father to be careful and not do something stupid.

Then, as Devon began to advance the progress of their making out to the next level, she found herself pulling back. Surprising even herself, she was now not so sure about giving up her virginity, "No Devon, please - don't. I mean, I want to, but…" she tried to explain herself as she gasped for air.

Devon sighed to himself and somewhat irritated. Yet he knew Rama was a novice at this thing called love. He realized he had a greater responsibility. Therefore, pushing back his frustrations, he asked patiently, "Am I going too fast?"

"I guess so. I want to, I really do," she was trying to catch her breath, "but, maybe I'm just being silly. Maybe…." Rama muttered "Oh, I'm so sorry, Devon, I just feel so confused right now." She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to regain some measure of control.

Devon smiled at her, kissing her nose and stroking her face tenderly. He breathlessly said, "No, that's all right, Rama; we have plenty of time." He knew he could wait. The last thing Devon wanted was for Ramiela to end up feeling as if he had forced her to do things. If she was even slightly hesitant, he knew she could regret it. The value in being patient and waiting had its own rewards for both of them. Besides, waiting would give him the time to really romance her and totally win her over in every way.

Devon sat up and moved to sit with his back against one of the tightly bunched trees, gently pulling Rama up with him. He invited her to relax within the crook of his arm. She took his invitation and allowed him to drape his arm around her shoulders while his other one embraced her. She relaxed within the comforting strength of his love. Rama then leaned into him with her head against his shoulder. She laid one arm across his chest in a hug, feeling comfortable in his gentle embrace.

"Thanks for understanding, Devon. I just want to be sure what's going on. It's all so – new to me." she explained softly.

He smiled at the gentle rumbling of her words against his chest. "Sure, no problem. I realize you're a novice to this and I should have known better to go rushing you into things." He replied stroking her long hair with his free hand. He kissed the top of her head affectionately, sensing that her feelings were finally under control again. Maybe that was the problem, her inability to control what she was feeling. In time, she would learn and in time, she would be more comfortable with being as intimate as they had almost been a moment ago.

Rama let out a soft sigh, relaxing and silently trying to calm her emotions. She was starting to get a better handle on it; at least she thought she was. "Devon, um…I have a question. Aren't we kinda – like - related in some way?"

"I don't know about your world, Rama, but here in mine we're not. Years ago, when we kids were being born, Don did blood test on all of his brothers to break down their DNA to determine who was related to whom. What he discovered was that Mike isn't related to any of them where his genetics is totally different." Devon replied, "I guess he was born in a different clutch of eggs. However, as far as their relationship is concerned, they are brothers only because they grew up together." He paused, only to add a moment later, "That's why Gabby and Seth could marry. My dad's father was different from Leo and Don, cousins only through their mother. Genetically, it was a bit sounder, especially where Gabby's mom is mostly human."

Rama nodded, "I don't know about the rest of our family. I don't even think it ever occurred to them to worry about such things. I do know that my Uncle Donatello did a DNA test on my Uncle Raphael and Dad. That was when they found out that they weren't related."

"Why the test if they weren't worried about it?" Devon asked, quite curious as to the conflicting information Rama was sharing with him.

"Well, when my birth mom became pregnant with me, she had been with my Uncle Raphael for a while until she broke up with him. Then, she was with my dad. It was shortly after that when she learned she was pregnant. Obviously, they wanted to know whose child I was. Since she had only been with Dad for a short time, they weren't sure." Rama explained.

Devon blew a soft sigh of relief, "Wow, if it had gone differently, you could have been my half sister. I'm glad you're not, Rama!" He smiled at her softly, hugging her. "However, it's getting late. I think we'd better head back before they send out a search party for us."

"Oh, yeah…I better braid my hair back then," Rama suddenly exclaimed, her hands quickly reaching up to do so.

However, Devon grabbed her wrists and held them gently, but firmly, kissing her again. When he pulled away, he smiled softly, pleading, "Please, leave your hair down for me - okay."

Rama looked into his eyes, her insides quaking with butterflies. She thought wistfully, "_I'm just going melt, I know it!" _She could not help but blush once again. "Okay" she relented, "Actually, my dad likes to see my hair down. I would keep it like that except it gets in my way so much. I find it easier to work if I keep it braided back."

"Well, you can put it back up when we spar, but I'd like to see it free and flowing any other time – that is if it's okay with you?" Devon entreated.

"I'd do anything like that for you, Devon." She gushed happily.

He then stood up and helped Rama to her feet, kissing her once more before the two of them moved out of the sanctuary and towards home.

………..

Raph had finally arrived but noticed right away Rahab's present mood. It did not take a genius to know that it was quite volatile for the moment. Once Mike explained what was going on, Raph decided to take the option handed to him. Knowing his ex-wife as well as he did and that, for the past three years, their relationship had been better, he decided that helping his brothers look for the two kids might be his best option. Sticking around the house alone with an irritable Rahab while his brothers went looking for the missing two would not be his first choice. As it was, he rather enjoyed hearing about all the discomforts the kunoichi had given to his family.

"You'd think you guys would have sensed some deceit from her." He chided Leo and Mike as they walked out onto the patio.

"Look, Raph, she's kunoichi; Rama probably shoved that behind some mental wall. I can do just so much, you know." Leo said defensively.

"Yeah, yeah, I know – you're not PERFECT!" Raph teased as he downed his iced tea with a chuckle.

"And I never was and you know it!" Leo chided back.

"A matter of opinion, bro!" Raph shot back, "And it wouldn't have been mine!" Then he laughed as he sat the now empty glass on a patio table.

As he thought about it, what made it even better was the fact that if his son had dealt with the young female ninja, then the chances of her pulling any more jokes today were slim to none. Consequently, he felt safe from any of her shenanigans. The only reason why he came at all was to bear witness to his own siblings' misery.

As Rahab was stalking the patio area waiting for the ninja trio to leave, she looked out among the tall stand of redwood, hoping to see if she could possibly spot either of the two. She had been doing that for the past ten minutes after her husband decided that enough time has lapsed, warranting a search. Suddenly, she thought she spotted movement deep within the shroud of trees. Then, Rahab saw them, shouting excitedly, "THEY'RE BACK!"

"See, told ya, Love, you worry for nothing" Mike muttered happily over at his wife. She gave him a glare in return, but then smiled, happily relieved.

Rahab watched, as the couple emerged from the forest, their heads down, obviously talking and seemingly oblivious to the knot of family members on the patio. At first, Rahab wasn't certain about what she was seeing. Then, as the truth dawned on her, she looked over at her husband and began to laugh "Ha! Looks like your plan backfired."

Leo had been bringing Raph up to speed on the day's events and had his back to the forest when Rahab made her proclamation. Concerned, Leo asked, "What do you mean?" He had been certain that Devon would have taught Ramiela a lesson and was confident that the girl would be chastised well enough to end her antics. He turned quickly around to see for himself what was going on, staring hard at the forest. Yet, what he saw instead was – something else entirely. There to his disbelieving eyes was Rama and Devon, both strolling hand in hand toward the house. As they climbed the fence that separated the trees from the backyard, Devon offered a hand to Rama as she followed him over as if she needed help. They then continued walking side by side and hand in hand once again. It was obvious by their posture and attitude that they were hardly a gloating victor and subdued victim. As Leo watched, he saw that Rama was leaning close beside Devon. Slowly, like an evaporating fog, it was becoming quite clear to him. Much to his disappointment, Leo sensed that the girl did not even bear any harsh feelings for his nephew. She had a moony expression on her face, definitely in 'orbit' around something. It was a good bet it had nothing to do with any pranks. In fact, as they closed in on the family unit, Leo was certain that Devon had the same expression on his face, as well, not to mention the makeup. Yet as he stared at the makeup, Leo realized it was somewhat smeared. "Hmm…" he pondered suspiciously.

Mike and Raph joined Rahab with a much-chagrined Leo in time to see Devon and Rama share a kiss – right out in front for all to see. Judging from the feelings the three ninja could pick up from the two, it was clear they were both deeply in love.

Devon glanced up suddenly, realizing too late that he and Rama were not alone. He silently berated himself. Turning back to her, he apologized, "I don't know what's going to happen, but I think I need to make myself scarce for a while, at least so I can get this makeup off. Sorry, love," and then he went ninja-quick to the house.

Rama watched him leave, knowing that his original purpose in chasing her had changed out there in the forest. She realized when she took note of Leo's shocked expression that one more joke, although unintentional, had been played out against him. In fact, with one act alone, she pretty much included Mike and Seth as well. Feeling more victorious than before, she took a deep breath and continued to stroll casually towards the others.

Shaking his head in disgust, Leo muttered under his breath in irritation, "Send him out to do a job…"

Rama paused as she neared the patio, making eye contact with her sensei. She knew that with her hair down and traces of lipstick on her face, he would know that Devon only pummeled her lips. Gloating just a bit, her mischievous nature coming to the fore, she commented, "I've never enjoyed being locked out so much as I did today. Thanks, Sensei" she tossed the camera at Mike. "Maybe you can download that picture? I'd love to have a copy for posterity!"

"What a time for Devon to fall… Hey, wait you didn't use some ninja love potion on him did you?" Mike asked in horror.

Rama brought a hand to her mouth to hide her smirk. "Not that I'm aware of." she replied coyly and then slipped past them and into the house, giggling.

……….

Later, while seated around the dinner table, Raph was telling the family about the latest gig with his band. All of them were there, including Seth, Gabby, and Mindy. Dinner was almost over with the dark of evening descending on the household. A gentle illumination filled the dining room from the artificial lighting, warming the mood around the table. As Raph shared about his news, in-between his conversation he sipped his beer. As he spoke, he noticed that some of his words began to squeak a little. He stopped for a moment, cleared his throat, and tried again. A few more words squeaked, putting his voice up half an octave. Raph stopped again, smiled and took a swig of his beverage, then tried to talk once more. A few more words and another partial octave was his reward. That was when each word he spoke suddenly came out in a full-blown squeak, making Raphael sound more like a mouse that a ninja turtle.

He made a face and tried to clear his throat several more times, continuing to take more sips of his beer. The more he spoke, the squeakier he became, until it sounded as if he had inhaled a balloon-full of helium. A sense of panic began to grow within Raph, which only worsened as he caught Rama looking at him. She had a twinkle in her eye that looked all too familiar to him. Raph glanced over at Mike and then back to the girl. Almost in that next instant, he knew, he just knew she was behind it.

Rama grinned, "I was wondering when that was going kick in." she laughed, "The last trick of the day – saved just for you, Raph!"

"What did you do to me…?" an irate Raph squeaked out as he turned on her. However, whatever Rama had done took the sting from his words. His high-pitched voice seemed that much funnier with him trying to yell. He sounded too much like that mouse named Mickey, but even that voice seemed lower on the register than the way Raphael was sounding now.

Seth and Devon were the first to lose control. They tried very hard not to, though, considering they both knew Raph's temper quite well. Seth snorted once and tried to pass it off as a burp. Devon, who sat next to Rama, coughed as he hoped that would help him regain some self-control. Finally, with every angry word the Raph uttered, neither of them could hold it back any longer. Almost at the same time, the two brothers exploded in laughter, unable to control it any longer. They held onto themselves, laughing so hard that tears began rolling down their faces.

"What are you laughing at!" he bellowed, practically losing his voice for the squeak. Unfortunately, there wasn't any way he could be taken as a threat, not with how he was sounding. Laughing hysterically, both Seth and Devon had to hold on to the table to keep from falling out of their chairs.

Even Mindy realized that her grandfather was talking differently. Much to his dismay, yet to the complete delight to everyone else, Mindy pointed a finger at him and gleefully announced, "Ganpa Raff talk ike Spungbob! Ganpa Spungbob, Ganpa Spungbob!" She singsonged her new name for her Grandpa Raph as if it were the best name in the whole wide world.

Ignoring his son and nephew for the moment and doing his best to ignore his granddaughter, Raph glared at Rama, "Listen here, young lady…" Raph began in fury. Yet, as before, his voice was so comical it was impossible to take him seriously at all.

Mindy continued to be completely delighted with the vocal imitation her grandfather seemed to be doing of her favorite cartoon character. She kept repeating his new name, which made it increasingly difficult for everyone else to hold back. As every second past, one by one each member succumbed to the fallout of Rama's prank. Leo, unable to use even his ninja skills to ignore it, finally gave in as he let out a deep resonating belly laugh. Mike and Rahab were next, with Mindy and then Riahna close behind. Before too long, the only one at the table not laughing was Raphael. He could only sit there, completely done in and helpless. He finally shook his head in defeat.

"Sorry but it just wouldn't be fair not to get you, too, Raph. I didn't want you feeling - left out." Rama assured him sweetly.

With all of the family now giggling and to the point of tears, this only angered him more. He glared hard at Rama, receiving in reply a grin from her with her eyes dancing in merriment at his predicament. Not having any luck with the girl, Raph then sent an icy cold stare around the table, hoping to get the message across that he was not a happy camper. However, when he realized the futility of his attempt he, again, locked his eyes onto Rama's own, who only smiled innocently his way. "Don't worry; it will wear off - in an hour or so." She giggled, "That is, if you stop drinking from that glass." She assured him.

With a look of horror, Raph pushed his nearly empty glass of beer as far from him as he could. He then snapped in reply, narrowing eyes threateningly at Rama, "You are so going pay for this."

Yet, as with everyone else at the table, Rama found it hard to take his threat seriously. With that squeaky voice, he just did not seem dangerous at all. Consequently, she sat back in her chair with a contented sigh, saying for all to hear before busting up in giggles herself, "It's the perfect ending to a perfect day!"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Vestquex_**_: I'm letting Rama answer your review. Ramiela it is all yours. **Rama**: Sorry girlfriend but I think you can tell by this chapter that you best go crawling on your hands and knees and beg Uncle Donatello's forgiveness and your undying love to him cause I WANT Devon. And I think he wants me too 'giggle'._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: The cheering team is still in effect. As long as you are cheering does it matter who for? Yeah things are really going be changing between the two of them. How much is the real question._

**_Pretender_**_: Thank goodness Devon wasn't still mad at Rama or she'd be in some very hot water at this point of the game._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Slip rug back under you. I think you know by now that Devon wasn't playing._

**_Katie_**_: Devon and Rama are kissing in a tree k.i.s.s.i.n.g first comes love then comes...oops getting ahead of myself. You will just have to stay tuned for your answers._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S_**_ **COMMENTS**:_

**_KATIE_**_: Your review reminds me of the song – 'Devon and Rama, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!' And, based on Ramica's own comments, which I received AFTER I wrote mine, I guess it's unanimous. LOL…anyway, as far as Rama's other world and if she will return to it, you just need to remain faithful in keeping up with your reading. That's all we can say. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Rug, what rug – oops, oh, that rug! LOL Ah, we have to do things like that to keep your interest up, otherwise the story would become boring. Yeppers, it must have been hard to believe Dev with his face ready for Barnum and Bailey! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Hey, did ya win? Thanks for the encouragement; we try, we really do! Ah, but to a ninja, a hundred, two hundred – doesn't matter when you can almost transport to any spot you need to be. Either way, thanks for the ego boost as well as for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, kissing and then some – almost. We really wrestled with how far to take them and then decided…well, you know what we decided. :o) Yes, the make-up could have dampened any romantic stirrings… Ah, well, you know by now about the changes, if any, in their relationship. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_VESTQUEX_**_: Sometimes it's best to keep certain 'desires' to oneself and I think you've discovered why. I'd say make Donnie some sushi, a cup of Jasmine tea, and a fortune cookie that you make yourself, with an "I love you because…" (think about his genius and his gentle ways) note inside. He's hurt and he's justified. Now, go, make 'up because it's the right thing to do. Thanks for the review, too; love all of them:0) Oh, and thanks for reading, too. Be blessed._


	30. Conflicts

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Hmm…this is getting rather annoying, having to repeatedly admit to what we own or don't own. If you still have to be told…then I'd suggest writing it down somewhere so you'll have a bit of reference. LOL Kidding! Really, we are...not the least bit annoyed, still...nothing's changed. :o) _

**…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………**

**CHAPTER 30 - CONFLICTS**

"Gabs, be reasonable…" Seth pleaded as he chased after his wife. "Come on, hon, don't be like this." He continued to beg as he nearly ran up the walkway from their home just to keep up with her.

A rather irate red-haired and very pregnant mutant female was storming for the main house, her legs pumping quickly and her curly hair flying wildly behind her. With Gabby's right arm firmly wrapped around her daughter as she held her, she clutched an overnight bag with her left hand. Ignoring her spouse, she soon reached the patio with him hot on her heels as he tried to stop her. Finally, he had no other choice. Going ninja quick in order to beat her to the patio door, Seth now stood in front of Gabriella, barring her way with hands on hips. "Look, you need to understand it's just the way it is. It's important, it's part of our heritage, it's…" but before he could continue, Gabby interrupted him.

"IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!" she yelled. "A three year old is just too young, Seth. I've made up my mind." Her daughter started to whimper a little, forcing Gabby to turn her attention away from her husband for a moment.

While she tried to calm her child, Seth stood his ground, folding his arms across his chest in front of him, "No, you're not going and that's final!" he declared.

"Yeah? Well, just try and STOP me, SETH!" and with that, Gabby literally muscled her way past her husband and into the house.

Seth had to admit to himself that it was near impossible to stop his wife once she had her mind made up. "Too much like her father!" he grumbled to himself. Then, exclaiming loudly in frustration as he threw his hands up into the air, he followed her inside, "And exactly where are you going to go? You can't drive, you don't even have license!"

"I'll walk, then! I've done it before, I can do it again." Gabby seethed as she headed resolutely down the main hallway towards the expansive front door.

"You can't walk that far; not in your condition!" Seth admonished her. "Certainly NOT carrying a three year old."

"Just don't' get in my way, Seth; don't get between me and Mindy because you just DON'T want to go there!" Gabby shook her head back at him, her eyes lit up with anger.

Rahab had heard the commotion from upstairs and was now making her way quickly down the steps. Riahna was close behind her, equally curious about the commotion. Both arrived in the foyer about the time Gabby had reached the front door. "What is going on, you two?" Rahab asked.

As Seth took notice of his mother, he replied accusingly, "Oh, it's Gabby!" and then looked at his wife.

"Like HELL!" his better half declared loudly as she stood by the front door, "It's YOU and this stupid clan tradition! I will not have it, not one bit." Gabby stomped her foot for emphasis, anger clearly etched on her face.

Raph had been in the den recovering from his bout of Spungbob-itis when the battle of wills made it to the house. It had actually taken until the next day for his voice to recover, much to Rama's amusement but more to his horror. "That's all I need happen to me, to sound like a friggin cartoon for the rest of my life!" he complained the evening before. "I swear, Rama," Raph had threatened as he pointed a finger at her, "you'll get yours, you can count on it!

Of course, he made his threat with his new squeaky high voice, which only caused Rama to double over in giggle fits for the umpteenth time. "I had no idea it would last this long, it's great! Maybe something in the drink caused the effects to last longer?" she said through her chuckles. For some reason Raph didn't seem to appreciate the humor in the situation as she did. Consequently, he retreated to the den, secluding himself from the rest of the family until the next day. Now, he had sufficiently recovered, only to hear what sounded like a verbal brawl outside his temporary digs.

"What in blazes is going on?" he bellowed as he came out of the den.

Standing by the front door, Gabby protectively turned Mindy away from him, swallowing in apprehension as the fires of her anger raged on. Raph was immediately aware of his daughter's ire, yet he didn't have a clue what had caused it. "Say, Gabs, is Mindy all right? Is she - sick or somethin'?" he asked as he stepped towards her in concern.

"Stay away, don't you dare come any closer!" she commanded, lifting her head up in defiance while she stepped away from him even more.

"Whoa, what'd _I_ do?" Raph asked, stepping back, himself, with his hands up in defense and looking around, "I've been in the den since last night. What's happening here!" He looked over at Seth and saw a noticeable amount of frustration and anger in his face. "Say, you guys aren't having a fight or something, are you?" he asked, a crook of smile edging across his snout.

Seth could only shake his head, "No, well, - yeah, sort of…Mindy's three and old enough to start training. Gabby went all – ah – well, she sort of lost it." No way would he say that his wife went 'all Raph' on him, not unless he wanted two people upset. That was definitely not going to happen if he had anything to say about it.

"I did NOT lose anything, Seth, certainly NOT my COMMON SENSE!" his wife exclaimed loudly. "I will not let ANY of you touch her!" and with that she sat her overnight bag down on the floor and tried to open the front door. However, it held fast, locked and immobile. "What's .wrong .with . this . door?" she staccatoed out as she pulled repeatedly.

Seth had already engaged the electric lock on the door. For security reasons, the activation switch was located halfway between the front and back exits. It made it easy to secure both doors at the same time, just incase they had uninvited guests. Now, with the locks in place, they prevented Gabby from going any further with her threats of leaving. As he watched her repeatedly try to yank the front door open, Mindy was having a blast getting jostled around, giggling for all she was worth. "Mindy, be _quiet_!" Gabby commanded in an unusual outburst of frustration. She then resumed her attention to opening the stubborn door. Remembering how the windows were secured, she felt around the doorframe, hoping that there was a similar release lever that would disengage the lock. However, her search proved futile.

Meanwhile, Mindy looked up at her mother in numbed silence for a moment. Then, slowly, she scrunched up her face and in no time at all began bawling. She looked at her very angry mother and cried even harder, finally burying her head into Gabby's hair. "I sowwy, mommy." She said between sobs. "I sowwy I make ew mad." She hiccupped and cried some more.

"Oh, Mindy, it's not your fault, sweetie!" Gabby cooed softly, stopping her mad attempt to leave in order to comfort her daughter. She, herself, felt hot tears of her own beginning to well up in her eyes, too. "Mommy's just - well…Hey, we're going to visit Grandma for a few days; wanna see Grandma?" She bent her head down and tilted it so she could make eye contact with her child, who had her face buried into her mother's neck as she sobbed.

Slowly, the girl ceased her weeping and looked up at Gabby. She sniffled once and nodding sullenly. Then, while rubbing at her eyes, she exclaimed, "I wanna see Ganma." She smiled a little and then wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, resting her head on her shoulder.

"See, Gabs, you're upsetting Min. Come on, let's talk about it, okay?" Seth pleaded again.

Gabby turned defiantly towards her husband, "We've _already_ talked about it and I will _not_ talk about it anymore. It's settled, and that's _all_ there is to it!" She realized that, for the moment, getting out of the house was going to prove more difficult than she had first thought. So she stood there before the two ninja and her mother and sister in-law, fighting to control the need to cry. Oh, Gabby knew her husband and she knew he would call upon whatever abilities he had to persuade her. However, she was quite determined, too. No one would take her child from her, not anyone. Then, to her utter despair, Leo appeared in the foyer from within the family room. Following him was Rama and then finally Devon. It was quite apparent that the three had just come up from the dojo. Both Dev and Rama looked as if the two had been sparring again, since they were each wearing a generous coat of perspiration. Moreover, it was obvious their romance was in full bloom as Devon took Rama's hand in his.

"What's going on?" Leo asked as he casually walked into the foyer. He took note of the emotions that seemed to be bouncing off the walls. Then, saw his daughter-in-law by the front door with Mindy in her arms. By all accounts, it looked as if the child had been crying and that Gabby was close to doing the same.

"Gabby, what's going on?" he asked again, more calmly as he locked his eyes with hers.

"Nothing," she clipped, adding as she averted her gaze, "Just – going to visit my mom is all." Gabby was relieved that Mike was down at the music studio. To have him here, as well, would have been all too overwhelming. _"Too many ninja in this blasted house!" _she lamented irritably to herself.

He looked down and saw her overnight bag that was slumped against the front door. Leo looked back up at her and smirked, "In for a long stay, too, I take it."

"Dad, she doesn't want Mindy trained." Seth explained in exasperation as he sided up next to his father.

"I did NOT say that!" his wife shot out, turning back around in anger. "I only said she's too young!" Gabriella stiffened her stance even more. She was starting to recover a bit from being intimidated with Leo's presence.

Rama glanced at Devon and whispered very low, "If she's too young, someone better tell Tyler to stop what he does."

"Gabby," Leo countered evenly, "Mindy is not too young. In fact, all the kids in the clan began their training on their third birthday." He could sense her turmoil and fear. As he assessed her feelings, Leo realized what the problem was. "Gabby, I promise you that Mindy will not fear her training as you did."

She stood there, trembling now, her anger giving way just a little. Still, she wasn't going to give up quite yet. She stated evenly, trying to keep control of her words, "I want to stay at my mom's shop for a few days, to think about this." Gabby tried her best to remain stoic, yet she realized that the family, the ninja part of the family, knew better. Her inward turmoil nearly screamed out at them.

Raph well understood his daughter's reaction. Yet it surprised him that, until now, she hadn't said anything about how she felt regarding Mindy's own training. Evidently, Gabriella had carefully hidden this additional fear deep down inside of her, knowing too well how the family dealt with such things. Still, he was quite amused by her tenacity. "You need to calm down, Gabs, and think this through. It's not as bad as you might believe." He assured her.

"Easy for you to say, Father…you didn't have a clue what Splinter was teaching you until it was too late!" she snapped out. Then, she shied back, regretting her words. She saw both her father and Leo narrow their eyes at her, obviously taking exception to what she just said.

Trying to defuse a worst scene, Devon explained, "Sis, you're over reacting. Min's training won't be like yours."

Rama added, "If the training is anything like we do back home, the first few years are more game oriented and is actually quite fun. Mindy will love it, I promise."

Gabby seared a look at the newcomer, growling out, "It's your fault, Rama. You offered to train her. Why don't you just mind your own business! This clan is _not_ your clan!"

Rama was shocked. Up to now, she and Gabby had developed a great relationship. In fact, they regularly spent a few hours together just about everyday talking. To hear her speak to her the way she was doing now, it was almost as if she had changed personalities. Then again, Gabby was Raphael's daughter. Even Rama's Uncle Raphael had his good days when he was just as nice as anyone else was. Yet, get on his bad side or push him too far where he didn't want to go, and – well – one just didn't want to go there regardless. As Rama observed this redheaded daughter of Raph, she had a new appreciation for Gabby. She was quite amused, as well, that Mindy's mother wasn't the least bit taken aback by Leo's presence. Well, she did falter a little at first, that much Rama sensed, but she recovered quite nicely just the same. However, as she thought about it, Rama realized that this was the first time Gabby had expressed any of Raph's traits to her. More than likely, because Gabby had been so nice to her up to now, Ramiela had forgotten that fact. She knew that her Raphael-cousins at home never went that long without one or more of them losing their temper. It was part of the reason Rama's Uncle Raphael gave up on having more children. "Each one is worse than the last. We already have a dragon, so I'd hate to see what comes next." He lamented one time when asked about adding more kids to his volatile brood.

Rama watched with widening eyes as Leo slowly advanced on Gabby. With low even tones, he admonished her, "Rama is part of our family until such time that she can return to hers. It is _not_ up to you, Gabriella, to decide if she belongs here!"

Gabby shied back, for she knew by the tone of Leo's voice that she had overstepped her roll in the clan. Realizing her remiss, she apologized to the kunoichi, "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said that, Rama." Then she looked away, quite stricken with her situation and everything that was going on.

Leo nodded in approval and then said, "Rama is quite skilled in training children, Gabby." He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and felt her quake just a little. With a soothing voice, Leo continued, "Where she has had recent experience, your father, Mike, and I felt that she would be perfect for Mindy. We are the ones who actually asked Rama if she would train her – while she continues to stay with us, that is." He thought back to the conversation he had with her and then with his brothers the night before….

After the exploits with Rama's practical jokes, the clan elders had decided to give Rama something more productive to do, something that would make her feel useful during her stay. It was the evening of April Fools and after Leo's nightly lesson with Ramiela. While he had her in the dojo, Leo remembered to ask her if she had any rules for April Fools that she had to follow.

Rama cheerfully admitted she did and then listed them quickly for Leo. However, as she did so, she noticed his attitude began to change from curious sensei to one that was angry. By the time she had listed the last one, she knew she was in trouble – again.

"Why didn't you tell me this before? In fact, why didn't you tell me how severely you play your jokes?" Leo demanded as he almost lost his temper. It was a rare occurrence for him to allow his moods to waver too far. Yet, after the day's events, he had been stretched even further than what Mike used to do to him years ago.

Rama replied as innocently as she could, mindful of Leo's deteriorating mood, "Well, you didn't ask, Sensei, and I thought it would be much more fun this way. Not only that, it was helping me improve my ninja skills. Besides, with this world so different from my own, there wasn't any reason for me to believe that you'd wanted to abide by the same rules my family."

"Help you improve your ninja skills?" Leo grated out. He thought about Seth's toothpaste and Devon's red and green hair, not to mention the insulting 'scroll of enlightenment'.

"Sure, my Sensei always believed that if I was going pull a joke on someone I ought to be using my ninja skills to do it. In fact, he helped me _aspire_ to greatness with my practical jokes." Rama grinned.

A very embarrassed Leo had admitted this very fact to Mike right after dinner. Not only had he never considered asking Rama about rules to govern her mischief making, but that her techniques showed keen ninja training. Yet, with regards to the question of rules, Mike was amused that his wife had been 'right on the money' about it all. Still, he tried to hide his grin as he sighed, shaking his head and saying, "Leo, what we have to do is find something useful for that girl to do to ease her boredom and make her feel more accepted in our family. I'm sure Devon is doing his part to help in that area, but she needs something a little more constructive." He chuckled a little, thinking about how his nephew/stepson had made a turn-around considering the kunoichi.

"Well, Gabby could start Mindy's training." Leo suggested. "Min's old enough for it, that's for sure."

Raph had only nodded in agreement, still too ticked-off with the girl and not at all interested in giving Mike another reason to laugh at him. His voice was still on the squeaky side, after all.

"Rama could be a perfect teacher too, since she's had recent experience with such things." Leo commented, "She's even admitted she was training her baby brother in some stuff and he's supposed to be younger then Mindy is."

Mike nodded, agreeing, "That could be a perfect solution. It'll occupy Rama and give her something useful to do and it's a perfect way to alleviate some of her boredom, too. Not only that, but it gets Mindy trained, as well. It's a win- win situation Leo." He said.

Leo considered that thought and realized it was the right way to go. Between the lessons Leo was giving to Ramiela and then giving her the responsibility to teach Mindy, not to mention time she might spend with Devon, all of this would drastically cut down on her boredom for his student. This meant, of course, less time for Ramiela to come up with ideas for more practical jokes. That in and of itself was the better part of the deal, Leo admitted to himself.

It was a while later when Seth was summoned to the house that Leo told him about their plans. Even his son felt it was a wise thing to do, to get Rama preoccupied with doing something useful and have Mindy start her training at the same time. "She's ready, Father. Mindy is showing quite a bit of agility just without training."

"Then..." Leo said, "...let Gabby know. I think maybe day after tomorrow should work."

………..

Now, as Leo watched Gabby clutch her daughter protectively, she turned her back to him. His daughter-in-law deliberately put herself between him and her child. "Please, wait a while, please." She begged, her voice hitching a bit as she fought for emotional control. With tears that threatened to spill over, Gabby pleaded, "Mindy's too young; really she is." Yet, even with her back to them, she soon felt Seth's approach. As he came up beside her, Leo fell back to give them room.

Seth gently reached out and touched his wife's shoulder. Sensing a subtle resignation, he finally eased in to wrap his arms around her. He rested his head against hers. Talking softly to her, Seth kept his voice low so that his words were only for his wife. Gabby was crying, now, unable to hold back her emotions. Her husband kissed her on the cheek and continued talking to her quietly, all the while stroking his daughter's back to keep her quiet.

While his son continued to consol his wife, Leo finally offered, "Maybe a trip to town might be good, after all. Gabby, maybe you can talk to your mother about this; get her viewpoint. Maybe you can find out from Rama what the training entails, as well."

As Seth continued to comfort his wife, his voice softening to calm her even more, Rama eased over to Devon and whispered, "Why is Gabby so upset?"

"Ah," Devon replied as he slipped is arm around Rama and turned her back towards the family room. "Therein lays the problem, my dear." He noticed all too quickly that Ramiela's shell prevented him from wrapping his arm completely around her, but he didn't mind. She was standing hip to hip to him and that was fine enough as far as he was concerned. "Gabby came to us with a truck load of hang-ups, not the least of which was her fear of the dark. One thing my uncle refuses to put up with are fears. As soon as he can, he'll put you through your worst ones and get you past it pronto. No arguing with him, either! Needless to say, Gabby had it pretty tough here at first. I have to admit, as angry as I was at her at the time, I felt rather sorry for her." Devon smiled, "Of course, I never told her that, not until later."

Rama turned towards Devon and asked, "Why not?" She knew that Devon was quite stubborn and could hold back how he really felt about something, her experience with him being all too fresh to forget.

"Well, for one, I was going to be her sensei a few weeks after Leo. I couldn't show any sympathy with what she was going through. As you know, a teacher needs to have the utmost respect from their student and any leverage the student has to use would upend their training." Devon replied, "Secondly, I was still pissed off at her for getting better treatment than I did after that fiasco in town; felt she was getting what was due!" He laughed a little, but then softened, nearly whispering into Rama's ear, "I did get over it, of course, especially after I figured out what Jason was doing to her."

Rama elbowed him in the side, shaking her head, "You can be really mean, you know that!"

"Yeah? Well, I can be really NICE, too!" Devon smiled, wiggled his eye ridges seductively, and then, checking that no one was watching, leaned in to nuzzle her neck. Rama could only laugh in return at his silliness, "I actually prefer the 'nice' a lot more, Dev."

…………..

After a while, Seth was able to take Mindy from Gabby, handing the child over to Leo. The couple then went further into the living room to discuss the situation, while the rest of the family gave them their space. Raph followed while Leo walked back towards the family room, talking to Mindy a little bit while the girl nattered on about seeing her 'ganma'. "Yes, we're going to see your 'Ganma', all right! Maybe you'd like to get dressed up a little bit more?" Leo offered and then handed Mindy over to Rahab, who quickly took to the stairs to ready the child for the trip to town. Then, he and Raph joined Rama and Devon.

Coming up to Rama in the family room, Leo instructed, "Tomorrow morning after Mindy has had her breakfast, you can begin, Rama. What exactly do you start them out with?"

Raph interjected, "I know in our clan, we began our kids with simple gymnastics such as forward tumbles and body rolls. Then a little playing of hide and seek added in for fun."

Rama laughed, "Just about the way we do it, too!" She was quite amused by all the similarities between this clan and her own. Yet, as she thought about it, more than likely ninjitsu had a set training pattern that probably didn't vary too much, regardless in what world one found themselves.

Leo then asked, "So, are you ready for your first visit to town, Rama?"

Raph eagerly watched the girl's reaction, knowing and now sensing her great trepidation with such an idea. To see her repel just a little from it amused him quite a bit; especially after what she had done to him as well as to the family the day before.

Rama's breath hitched just a little as she thought about Leo's invitation. However, remembering what Devon had said about her sensei forcing the issue on fears, Rama realized that, ready or not, she was going. She told herself it really wasn't a big deal. She was used to moving around people in New York, so long as she had her disguise, that is. She recalled how before she ended up in the lab, all the times she had spent with Jessie and some of his friends, sneaking them into movies and playing all sorts of ball games from soccer to tackle football. Her oversized sweats did well to hide her true identity when out and about. Even the times she would sneak into a mall just to enjoy the sights and sounds. Though it was a difficult time, the lab had taught Ramiela that it was wiser to avoid such situations and not go calling attention to her self. Her experience there had forced her to realize all the more how important were the strict rules that governed her clan. Because of their uniqueness, they were forced to live below ground, hidden from those above. More importantly, she was ninja, after all, and she could handle going to town. She knew that if her sensei was trying to challenge her, the best way to answer the challenge was to act like it didn't matter.

_"Never would I have thought my sensei would ever be encouraging me to go out in the open,"_ she mused ruefully to herself as she considered how strict her clan was on such matters. Finally, as she took a deep breath to calm her nerves, she replied with a wary smile, "Well, no time like the present, I guess!"

Leo and Raph both looked at her knowingly, yet mindful of the fact that she didn't balk or freak out. "Good," Leo laughed, "because you know as well as I do, you'd be going regardless." He then headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea, chuckling as he went.

Raph went over and plopped down on one of the sofas as he grabbed up the T.V. remote and clicked it on. He snickered to himself, knowing that despite the girl's upbeat reaction, she was quaking inside. _"Ah, can hardly wait!"_ he said to himself as he settled on a program.

…………….

The family was a few minutes shy of leaving for Carmel when Rama found Gabby out on the patio by the fire pit. At first, the kunoichi watched her, wondering what it was the young mother was afraid of concerning Mindy's training. Confident that Gabby's apology was sincere from a while ago, Rama approached her.

"Hi, mind if I join you?" Ramiela asked.

Gabby looked up and suddenly blushed, "Oh, ah, sure, yeah, take a seat – plenty to go around." She said dispassionately. Then, remembering her offensive remark, she apologized again, "Sorry about what I said earlier; I was just – so mad at the time."

"S'okay…no harm done." Ramiela smiled at her. She then sat down, a little to Gabby's right and studied the partially burned logs in the center of the pit. Finally, she asked, turning to face her, "What is it that you fear the most, Gabby? I mean, about Mindy's training."

At first, Seth's wife just sat there, as if trying to ignore the question. She looked up at the redwoods for a moment. Sighing with just a bit of emotion edging her words, Gabby replied, "Three years ago when I was carrying her, the estate was invaded. It – was really bad, Rama." She turned to face her friend, "You might be used to battles, but I had never seen one ever before in my life." She looked at the young warrior, taking in her strong arms and long lean legs, the well toned muscles and even her scars. Gabby then asked, "You've seen many battles, I guess, huh?"

Rama returned her gaze to the logs once again, answering, "I've had my share; maybe more than I prefer to have, but – I really didn't have much of a choice. It's not like I decided to hunt down some action just to pass the time away." She paused a moment as she thought about what she had just said and then corrected herself, facing the mother, "Actually, I have to admit that there were those times I did look for fights. It's what I'm trained to do, Gabby. It's a matter of life and death. The people who would love to destroy us will stop at nothing to see that become a reality. Aside from that, there are always those scientists who would kill to get their hands on us." She looked hard at the young worried mother, narrowing her eyes as she stated, "Sometimes a person is more dangerous alive than dead. It's a hard choice to make when we do take a life and it's never done without a lot of thought."

"Have – you ever killed before?" Gabby asked in a near whisper, looking at the girl expectantly. Rama saw her eyes widen ever so slightly, as if afraid. Still, she knew that Gabby needed the truth; any other response would disrespect her concerns.

"Yes." Rama replied softly. She offered no reason or excuses, just the simple reply. Knowing a little about Gabby's fears, now, she didn't feel the need to add how many times she had killed someone. Even in the few short years that she had been battling and patrolling, there had been more than enough to freak Seth's wife out. Sadly, though, in retrospect, the last six and a half years didn't seem all that short to her.

"How did it feel?" the woman next asked. She clutched her hands in her lap to keep them from trembling. The last thing she wanted to do was to reveal any revulsion to this young fighter.

Although she noticed Gabby tremble, Rama thought about that, back to her first kill. She had been on patrol with her Uncle Raphael, not long after she turned twelve. Suddenly and seemingly without warning, a group of Foot soldiers came out from nowhere to surround the two of them. More Foot were closing in from numerous locations, causing Rama to be slightly afraid that there were too many for them to handle. However, her Uncle didn't waste any time tempering his blows, using his wild anger to fuel his strikes. Despite his example, though, she had hesitated. Rama didn't really want to kill, not after years of being taught that all life had purpose. It meant a great deal to her. Then, she saw one soldier closing in on her Uncle while he was preoccupied with fighting a larger group of them. His back was turned and it was quite apparent that his assailants were keeping his attention on them alone. As the soldier snuck up behind her uncle, he raised his sword to make what surly would have been a killing blow. Suddenly, Rama found herself lunging at the Foot soldier with her own katana. This time and without hesitation, she had struck to kill. That seemed to be all that was necessary, then, for her to finish the battle, killing other soldiers when necessary. Yet she did not let her mind dwell on the fact of what she was doing, at least not during that part of the battle. Yet, after she and her Uncle Raphael returned to the lair, Sensei had counseled her immediately to make sure she understood that her actions had been justified.

Rama openly admitted to Gabby "At first, it was exciting because it meant that I had protected my family. But, after a while, it began to bother me; I had ended someone's life permanently. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't change that fact." Rama sighed, "Sensei told me that all life was sacred and yet some lives were dangerous to our existence. That's where that understanding comes from, the way we decide when to kill, or not."

Gabby repeated solemnly, "Too dangerous alive than dead?"

Rama nodded, "Yep." She swallowed a little as she thought of a few times in her life when people had proven that they were far more dangerous alive than dead, before continuing, "Sometimes you wonder if maybe things had been different, then taking that life wouldn't have been necessary." She turned to Gabby, "I see how loving you are to Mindy, how badly you want to protect her…I wish my mom could have been like that. Closest thing I ever had to a mom was Sensei's wife Karena. Though I suppose Cathy, my dad's wife, would have made a good mom, its just she came into my life when I was thirteen and didn't marry dad until I was fourteen."

Surprised by Rama's admittance, Gabby asked, "Your mom didn't protect you, Rama?"

"Protect me? Hell no…she wanted to take me to Las Vegas and parade me around like a circus animal. She almost killed me, Gabby; Shay drugged me up to keep me under control. She didn't love me. How can a mother love their child and yet have no problem exposing them to dangers like that? Do you know what would have happened if she had succeeded?" Rama was now becoming riled up with recalling that time. She abruptly stood up and began to pace, her aggravation quite obvious. Gabby could only sit there and listen, sensing great anguish and pain as well as disappointment and fear from the girl. "People would want to know where I came from and then Shay might tell them. In no time flat, the human authorities would be combing the New York City sewers, trying to find my family. That's what would have happened." She then turned away, kicking at an errant pinecone, "That was the last time she ever had a chance to do that to me, too."

Gabby pondered all that Rama was telling her, but the last statement piqued her curiosity, "Why do you say that? Did your family send her away?" She knew that Don had sent Jason away, clear across the Pacific Ocean to Australia. It kept him separated from her and out of the picture as far as Mindy was concerned.

Chuckling, Rama replied, "In a manner of speaking, we did."

"Where did she go?" Gabby asked innocently.

"To hell, I hope!" Rama replied, then simply explained in a near whisper, "The clan decided that Shay proved to be more dangerous alive than dead." She turned to look at her friend, a knowing expression on her face.

"You – killed her?" Gabby gasped out, bringing one hand to cover her mouth in shock.

"No, I didn't. My Uncle Raphael is the clan executioner; he did the job. Made it out to look like a murder/suicide since Shay's boyfriend was involved."

"That's – terrible, Rama! How can you just…" Gabby began but Rama cut her off, her voice slightly raised in anger as she recalled that event.

"It was the second time my mother kidnapped me, Gabby. She was warned the first time by my dad that if she ever showed her face around our lair again or proved herself a threat to me, he'd have her killed. Believe me, Gabby, when my father gets full in your face with threats like that, you'd better take him seriously. He's no light weight, that's for sure." Rama thought about how easy-going this world's Mike was, how non-threatening he seemed to be to her. Rama then sighed, taking a deep, calming breath. She understood Gabby's perspective just a little; the kind of life she led here in Big Sur, safe, secure, having enough of everything. She couldn't rightly blame her for her reaction. Rama continued to explain, "We warned Shay and she still chose to ignore it. It didn't matter that she waited three years for her second attempt, the verdict AND sentence remained the same.Besides even if that wasn't so, Shay probably would have earned the death sentence because she decided to use a drug on me to minimize the chance of my family tracking her down. We can sense each other's proximity and thoughts. Having me unconscious was the only way to avoid detection. Shay used a new street drug and it didn't agree with me." With a voice that softened, Rama explained haltingly, "Buzz - just about killed me, Gabby. I was in a coma-like sleep for five days. We don't have a lot of medical resources opened to us, so my Uncle Donatello could only do so much, you know." Rama sat back down shaking her head. "Shay earned her death sentence, trust me."

Gabby didn't have anything left to say about that. Although she was somewhat mortified, she was also a bit more understanding. Finally, she offered, "That's one of the fears I have, Rama. That Mindy will learn how to kill. I just can't fathom my child learning how to do that." She saw Rama give a nod towards her in understanding, prompting Gabby to continue, "When we were attacked three years ago, I momentarily dipped into what they called 'going ninja'. I felt so much rage and anger with those that invaded our home, the harm they were placing on my family, seeing my uncles and my father injured, that I just – went crazy. I almost killed that day – and the person would have been…" Here, she paused, not certain if she should continue. After a moment of collecting her resolve, Gabby said, "I would have killed Mindy's father, Rama." She turned towards her and explained, "Not Seth, but a boy named Jason. I – I mean, _he_ had raped me and when the family found out about it, they threatened him and then gave him a one-way ticket out of the country. His attack on the estate was his rebuttal. Despite his face being covered by a hood, I knew it was him and I was willing to kill him during that moment of – well, of rage."

Rama looked at her and saw regret there in Gabby's face. "You would have been justified, you know! In my clan, if someone did that to me, death would be a welcomed relief by the time my family was done with them. We do not tolerate anyone harming our clan. Yet, I understand where you're coming from. When I escaped that lab in Connecticut and the scientist who imprisoned me found me again, after my family rescued me they gave me the option of doing the deed." She sighed now, and lowered her head, "But, I couldn't. Even though David had proved to be more dangerous alive, he was offered an opportunity to repent of his actions. If he had, if he had expressed sorrow for his deeds against me and begged for mercy, I believe Sensei would have granted it to him. There would have been conditions and threats of reprisals if he made any further attempts on our family, but David would have lived. Instead, he refused to back down." Rama paused as she thought of that time, and then reflected out loud, "My Sensei actually gave me first shot at it. He said I could do whatever I wanted and he wouldn't interfere." She narrowed her eyes as she looked away, remembering how she felt at the time, "I _so_ wanted to kill David, especially with all that he had put me through, but I couldn't do it, Gabby." Looking back at her, Rama explained, "Despite having the experience of killing, a part of me held back from doing that to him."

"Your – Uncle Raphael – executed him, then?" Gabby whispered. She just couldn't fathom her own father doing such a thing, even though she was fully aware that Rama's Uncle Raphael had a different set of circumstances.

Almost reading Gabby's thoughts and maybe she was even though Rama wasn't trying to, she commented, "Hard to believe where your father is Raphael, too, huh? Well, my Uncle Raphael and your father may be more alike than you'd care to believe. It's only your set of circumstances that are different between them. You might want to talk to him about what life was like back when he had to hide from people."

"I just may. It's just one of those topics that we sort of avoid talking about; it kind of brings a bad mood to everyone. That's what Seth told me, anyway." Gabby explained.Though she did recall the interest she had shown regarding that part of her father and his brothers' life when she had been new to the family. Gabby had even asked Don about taking the family down to see the old home in the sewers of New York. Yet, after listening to Rama and hearing how dangerous it was for her and her family, Gabby was starting to understand why Don was not at all enthusiastic about her idea.

Rama frowned, shaking her head, "That's too bad, because I think you would have a better handle on Mindy's training and why it's important to start her now! 'Course, it is a different lifestyle here. I mean, where I live our family has to be ready for battle on a moments notice and to kill if and when necessary by the age of twelve or thirteen. Here there isn't such a need for it." Rama grinned, "My brother, Tyler, is about six months, or so, younger than Mindy and he's all ready doing ninja things. Of course some of that's because he loves to imitate me." Rama laughed a little "He already knows some very simple katas, which isn't normal training for that age. I had to teach them to him so he could practice his routines while I did mine. I didn't want him hurting himself trying to copy me where my katas are the advanced and more difficult ones. 'Sides, it was a real pain having him tell me to _'slow down, Rama, I do kata, too'_ all the time." Rama rolled her eyes playfully, "Really, though, Gabby, all that's involved with early training is short games and playing. It helps keep the young ones interest up. The lessons at this age are real short, too; something like ten or fifteen minutes to start with, maybe twice a day like I'm doing."

Breaking into their conversation, Mike hollered out from the patio door, "Hey, you gals going to town? If so, ya better hot foot it to the cars – we're leaving in five!"

Rama grinned, "You want to talk scary, Gabby? Well, walking out in the open where people can see you is usually not encouraged in my clan. If we have to go up, then we wear a disguise and do everything possible not to get noticed."

"Well," Gabby commented, "then I admire you even more. Guess we better hurry up, huh?" She then reached over to squeeze Rama's shoulder, "Thank you for listening, Rama, and for sharing. Quite honestly, I really didn't think training Mindy would be necessary. I guess I'm still too naïve, at least that's what Seth told me."

"I don't think you're naïve, Gabby; just idealistic and that's not such a bad thing to be." Ramiela remarked as she smiled.

"Would it be permissible to watch you train Mindy?" the young mother asked as the two of them stood up to leave the fire pit.

Rama knew that the parent was never to be in the dojo during the beginning stages as it was important for the sensei to establish a bond with the child. Having the parent there at all would confuse the student as to who was in charge. However, sensing how anxious Gabby had been about it, she replied, "The first lesson, you may. That will happen tomorrow. However, after that I must insist that you not be present. I'm afraid that my authority over her in the dojo subjugates yours. As you can understand, the training that I will be giving your daughter is a little different than teaching her the ABC's." Rama smiled and then hugged Mindy reassuringly, "Trust me, Gabby, Min will love her training. It's in her blood."

Then the two of them walked together back to the house.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Pretender_**_: Yes the two of them do seem to be rushing things; of course Rama is young and new to love and desperately wanting to get rid of her virginity. But even she realized that things were going fast and figured on giving it some more time._

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ Of course we can't have Raph missing out on all the fun. Yes, Rama considered her going ninja a little slow because she was still healing at that point. While the boys in Gabby's world spar and practice most of them don't have to use these skills on the sort of basis that Rama and her family uses their ninja skills. Due to that it is bound to make her family a little sharper in battle._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Sorry we can't reveal what Rama put in the drink, she swore both reinbeauchaser and I to secrecy as it is an old ninja secret. If we were to tell we would lose honour and she would refuse to work for either of us as being dishonourable._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Well, I have to credit Ramica for most of the pranks and the inspiration she gave me for my meager offerings. I think I did the Spongebob Squarepants voice and the volcano toothpaste. The hot sauce part of that is Ramica's as well as the other pranks. All I can say is, Ramica must have tried all of these out herself at one time! LOL Or, she just has an overactive and evil imagination! LOLOL Either way, it was a blast to write. Oh, and congrats for finishing third place in running! Thanks, too, for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Love long reviews, so don't fret! Yeah, Raphers thought he was in the clear by coming so late in the day. Silly boy! LOL Had to have some prank left over just for him. I think Mindy enjoyed his impersonation of her favorite cartoon character, though. Personally, I just don't understand Spongebob's allure at all…not a bit, sad to say. AND, to make things worse, they're coming out with a Spongebob movie; just saw the trailer yesterday when my son and I went to go see that Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow flic. As far as romance between Rama and Dev goes….Whoo hooo! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Yeah, Rahab does have her points, though I'd hate to get on her bad side. Not with that tail, her neck spines, and those claws of hers! Poor Leo and Mike would have to agree with me on that one, with their 'up close and personal' experience with her. LOL We try to please as far as crafting the story with word pictures:0) Ah, yes…we actually tried to research drugs and chemicals that could tweak voices like what happened to Raph. Unfortunately, the only element that can do that is helium…and, it becomes a gas when stored above a certain minus Fahrenheit. Raph's beer would have to have been way below freezing for it to be in liquid form. So, whatever Rama used, must therefore be a ninja secret as Ramica stated above! LOL Hey, this is fiction so we can do anythin' we wanna! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	31. Betrayal AGAIN!

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Yeppers, don't own them…not yet, anyway! Bwahahaha! Ahem, well, with that said, we hope you enjoy this chapter. R&R if you care to, but be blessed, none the less! :0)_

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**CHAPTER 31 – BETRAYAL – AGAIN!**

As they neared the outskirts of town and from where she sat in the back with her husband and daughter, Gabby noticed that Devon held Rama a little closer than normal. They sat side by side, situated in the middle row of the SUV with Devon's right arm firm around the kunoichi's shoulders. Devon had taken the window seat, which put Rama in the middle with Leo on her right next to the opposite door. Devon was speaking softly to her, his words soothing and encouraging as more and more people began to show up alongside the highway. Rama leaned further into him for comfort, yet it was easy to discern that the girl did not like being so intimidated. Gabby could easily sense anger, fear, and a bit of embarrassment from the girl.

Leaning over towards Seth, Gabby asked him, her voice a bare whisper, "Maybe this wasn't such a good thing, Seth. I think Ramiela's on the verge of a heart attack!" She could see the girl stiffen occasionally, as people would innocently look their way while the suburban ambled along the road. "Maybe it would have been better to let her wear the coat and hat after all." Gabby recalled all too easily her own fear of exposure around humans not more than three years prior. The scene she had caused with Don when he had forced her into a restaurant for the first time and the panic she felt going into town with Devon and Seth was an easily recalled memory. After hearing about the things Rama's own mother had done to her and the suffering she endured at the hands of the scientists, Gabby felt more sympathy towards the young kunoichi than the others did. She was also fully aware of what Leo was like when it came to dealing with such fears.__

"Are you going to tell my father that?" Seth grinned as he spoke softly into his wife's ear, "because I'm sure not going to. Not after that scene back at the house." Mindy was between them in her car seat, playing with her stuffed cat and talking with the toy as if it were real. The toddler then looked up at her father and smiled, babbling loud enough for all to hear, "Kitty can tell Ganpa!" She grinned widely and giggled.

"Tell me what?" Leo asked as he turned back to face the young family. He smiled at his granddaughter and reached over and tweaked her toes. Mindy squealed in delight as she kicked her feet playfully.

Seth looked at his daughter and chided good-naturedly, "You need to not hear so well, my dear Min!" He then looked over at his father and shook his head a little, "Maybe, ah…" and nodded towards Rama, indicating his concerns.

Leo gave a slight gentle shake of his head, mouthing back silently, "She'll be all right."

Seth then looked at his wife, "See," as if that settled things. Still, Gabby furrowed her eye ridges and pursed her lips, still not convinced taking Rama to town without her covering was a good idea. She caught Leo's gaze and held it, frowning just a little to let him know that she didn't agree with him. However, the jonin of the clan had decided otherwise, so that was that. Leo turned back around to resume his seat, as Gabby continued to observe the girl in front of her. She then thought back to the house twenty minutes earlier, when they were getting ready to leave for town.

……..

As the family piled into the car, Rama had finally come down stairs after excusing herself a moment before. Coming out of the house, she made her appearance, fully dressed with the same leather coat and hat that Mike had allowed her to wear to the beach and when he took her down to the studio. Leo had been standing outside the front door waiting for her. Yet, it seemed as if he knew all along why she had raced up stairs while everyone else was getting into the suburban. He took one look at her and shook his head, saying, "Sorry, Ramiela, no coat and hat for this trip."

Rama stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening to saucer size and her mouth opening in surprise. Finding her voice again, she protested, "Ah, I have to wear the coat and hat, Sensei, there isn't any way I'm going to town without it."

"Sorry, Ramiela, but you're going to town without the clothing. You don't need it." Leo would not budge.

"But, I do – need it." She insisted. A sudden anxiety crept up the back of her shell, wondering if what Devon had said to her earlier was true with how Leo tackled his students' fears.

Her sensei met her gaze as Rama focused her own on his. Leo saw the immediate trepidation in her but also a resolve that spoke volumes about her determination. Still, he would not relent. Choosing his words carefully, Leo admonished her, "As kunoichi, you should be able to move within whatever environment you find yourself - not cower back, afraid." He waited. Over the course of the past two and a half weeks, Leo had come to know his student quite well. Her courage was admirable but her pride was an obstacle on numerous occasions. Hopefully, though, he would be able to use this to his advantage concerning her fear of exposure.

Rama's eyes went from saucer-wide to narrow slits as she assessed what her sensei had just accused her of being. Yet, she knew in the next instant what he was trying to do; she had used such tactics herself on her own students. Still, with the suburban's windows down, the entire family was within earshot and visual sight of the confrontation. Even worse, Mindy had given her complete attention to it, watching her future sensei with interest. It wasn't the brewing conflict that intrigued the little girl, however, but the 'costume' that Rama was wearing. Ramiela could hear the little child repeatedly ask, "Is it Halaweeeeen, Daddy? Why Rama wearing a costoome? Can I wear one, can I, Mommy?" Then, the child became more insistent, ending with a hopeful plea, "I wanna get dwessed ina costoome. Pwease?"

Gabby tried to tell her daughter that the 'costoome' was Rama's 'security blanket' that she wore to town. "It makes her feel safe, Mindy. It's not a costoome, sweetie."

_"Great, now I'm some insecure baby!"_ Rama muttered to herself as she rolled her eyes.

Then, to make matters worse, Mindy began begging for a security blanket, too, which only made the interior of the suburban a little noisier than before. Rama could see Gabby looking back at her in frustration as she tried to quell her daughter's persistent begging.

Rama was now between a rock-and-a-hard-place as to what to do. She just could not fathom going to town 'naked', yet at the same time what kind of an example in obedience would she portray for Mindy if she defied Leo? _"Oh, Rama, you certainly know how to put your self in a pickle." _She lamented silently.

"Well, Ramiela?" Leo asked, "Everyone is waiting. Though Rahab and Riahna aren't going, you are not going to stay behind so you might as well shed the 'costoome'." Although he wanted dearly to smile, Leo refrained from doing so. His granddaughter's comments could not have come at a better time, not to mention Gabby's reaction to them. He knew that the mother was only using a term that Mindy could understand, yet Leo also knew how it had affected his student.

Rolling her eyes in frustration, Rama sighed and then huffed out, "FINE, I'll loose the hat," and tossed it back through the opened front door. She revealed her long hair, unrestrained as Devon preferred it, allowing to flow in soft wavy folds down her back and arms. She then began to walk towards the car, but Leo stepped over and put an arm out to stop her.

"Nope, the coat, too, Ramiela." He said sternly.

Leo was now blocking her from Mindy's view, so Rama quietly begged, "Please, Sensei, I need this coat; there isn't any way that I can go into town without it, not with all those people there." Her eyes pleaded desperately as she gazed into his."Don't tell me that you were comfortable right from the start around people." she practically hissed at him

Ignoring her lapse in showing respect, Leo only shook his head, softly saying, "It was different back then, Ramiela. This is now. I'm sorry, you don't have a choice." He sensed the anxiety building up in his student and he knew she was thinking of running back into the house and locking herself in her room. That idea came through to him loud and clear. He prepared himself just in case, but at the same time, Leo tried to dispel any attempt on her part to disobey. He told her, "Look, Ramiela, I understand how you feel; I once felt the same way. However, I assure you that humans here have accepted us. Besides, with our entourage, who among them would even dare make a face on our behalf?" He allowed his words to sink in, finally adding, "We're only going to visit Gabby's mom, not parade ourselves down Ocean Avenue."

"Ocean Avenue, Main Street, whatever, that's all fine and dandy for you, Sensei. But what good is it for me getting used to not wearing a disguise here if and when I get home? Back in my world, I have to wear a covering no matter what street I'm on, all to protect myself and my family from harm." Rama demanded

"And, what if you don't get back home? Do you plan on hiding from people all of your life?" Leo countered. "Look, Ramiela, I _am_ trying to find some way to get you home," Leo reassured her compassionately, "but you have to start considering other alternatives as well. Just this once, going into town without the coat and hat won't harm you.'

Rama growled slightly under her breath, her eyes narrowing, "Funny that your family can wear clothes to fit in among people but I can't do the same?" She had seen Mike slip on a jacket from the coat closet and Raph had done likewise. Rama was aware that they intermixed with humans on a regular basis, so it was a given they would dress the part. Leo had not, but then Rama had yet to see him don any type of clothing since his arrival. Yet, Rama knew that he was right, that as a future jonin she was supposed to consider other alternatives. Still, the thought of never returning home had not been an option for her. Now, her desire to return to her world had been complicated even more by her relationship with Devon. She also knew that Leo had a point; what if she was in deed stuck here in his world? It was obvious that she would eventually grow accustomed to going out in public fully exposed, so starting now might be easiest. Maybe eventually she would wear clothing just to fit in, having nothing to do with hiding herself. Still, new habits and teachings would be of little help if, and when, she returned home.

Becoming exasperated, as he was fully aware of Gabby's observance to this entire scene, he shot out, muffling his words a bit, "You don't wear your disguises all the time, Ramiela." Then, calming down once again, he encouraged softly, "Come on, you don't need it." Leo waited, hoping that his student would see the wisdom of what he was saying. The last thing he wanted was to have her bolt and then his having to pry her out of her room. More than likely, if the latter happened, it could tip his daughter-in-law's reluctant approval to have Mindy trained.

Rama looked away plaintively, biting her bottom lip as she weighed her options. _"I could go ninja and run to my room, but then Sensei could probably get in without any problems. Or, I could hide in the forest, but – oh, he'd find me there, too_." She weighed her choices and realized in frustration that they were slim to none as far as being good ones. She looked back at Leo and then peered around him to see what the rest of the family was doing. Mike was looking back at her with a somewhat pensive expression on his face while his fingers drummed impatiently along the top of the steering wheel. Rama could see Raph smirking at her and then he turned back to talk with Mike about something. Mike chuckled, which only put Rama in a worse mood, knowing that they probably saw her situation as payback for the previous day's antics.

As far as Seth and Gabby were concerned, they were too involved with settling Mindy down. They were distracting the child with the stuffed cat that Gabby had whipped out of the baby bag. The child was now cooing at the yellow tabby, dancing it along the front edge of her car seat while babbling, "Go to Ganma's house, Kitty!"

Then, Rama noticed Devon had slipped out of the car and was heading her way.

Devon had felt Rama's fear and trepidation, his memory of Gabby doing just about the same thing coming to mind. Only, this time Ramiela was his love interest rather than Seth's. He knew that a little coaxing by the right person might be the push she needed. As he approached her and slipped his hand into hers, he said to her, "Hey, Rama, I swear on my tail nothing is going to happen to you! Anyone so much as look at you and I'll pound them to oblivion." Squeezing her hand, he added, "It's safe, I promise."

Rama turned to look at Devon in desperation. Her experiences with people had been far different from his uncle's exposure. However, she had a feeling that there was no way she was going win this one; Leo was remaining firm. Then again, perhaps this was only a test to see if she would cast aside her fear. _"A ninja is a master of themselves and of their own environment." _She reminded herself of her Master's fond saying. Then, she mused silently, _"Leo is right, it shouldn't make a difference."_ Still, after years of such training and seeing her own family put on their disguisesfor any topside travels, it had settled in her mind that it was the only safe thing to do. To put it aside that casually was not as easy as it sounded.

Devon whispered softly to her, "Rama, please, I know this isn't easy but you can do it." He wanted her so much to accept it, "Don't you realize that wearing the coat and hat would end up drawing attention to you anyway? Isn't that what you want to avoid?"

She gulped nervously and fought to calm the panic rising inside of her. She was comforted a bit by Devon's close presence to her. Yet, she was quite aware of the attention she was creating. It wasn't lost on her that Gabby's confidence in her ability to train her daughter was in the balance. Knowing she had already generated enough of a scene, the odds of getting away were against her at this point

"I promise, Rama, it will be okay." Devon murmured gently to her.

Rama gave a heavy resigned sigh and then slowly shrugged off the jacket, handing it to Leo. However, her fear was still clear and Leo and Devon were both aware that she had heightened her defensives considerably. Rama's ninja senses almost tripled. Yet, the girl was still a far ways from bolting or trying to escape, though, which pleased her sensei considerably.

Leo laid a hand on her shoulder trying to reassure her, "I know it isn't easy at first but you really won't be as exposed as you think." He soothed. He was proud of the fact that she had opted to rid herself of the coat and hat instead of having it forced from her and then having to take the girl fighting all the way to the car. That would not be the right kind of scene for Mindy, not where Rama would be teaching her the next day. He knew little would happen on this trip, proving to Rama that there was nothing for her to fear.

……….

Now, as they closed in on Carmel, Rama's anxiety seemed to have minimized a little. The few people that they had passed seemed to gradually wean her away from being so nervous. Still, Rama had used all of her ninja skills to keep herself calm. Yet, she knew that even though it had helped reduce her anxieties, she was still very much on edge. She huddled close to Devon, listening to his soothing words and gentle reassurances as they made their way to Carmel.

"Probably, because you look like my dad and uncles, but with hair, you might draw a little attention, 'kay? Don't take it too seriously, though…looks can't kill. Remember that. Just smile back and people will probably do likewise. From then on, they'll pretty much ignore you!" Devon reassured.

"Yeah, right…" Rama said sarcastically, but then she sobered up a little, asking as she looked at him earnestly, "What if they don't, though?"

"What, ignore you?" Devon inquired as he caught her gaze.

"No – smile, what if they don't smile." Rama explained impatiently. She gulped a little from just thinking about people looking at her, regardless if they smiled or not.

"Then, do this!" Devon brought his free hand in between them, carefully hidden from Leo's view, and showed her his one finger salute.

"I can't do that! Devon, that's insulting!" Rama barely whispered, giggling. She almost slugged him one, but then she smiled as she saw a playful grin play out on his face. "You're just terrible, you know that?!"

"Yeah, I am." He then gave her a peck on her check, "No, but seriously, just smile, regardless if they give you one or not."

They both became silent with Devon hugging her a bit more. Rama tried to take what comfort she could from it, while doing a few simple meditative exercises. Every time she saw people, however, she had to fight the instinctive reaction of drawing into her shell. She had to laugh at herself, though, for feeling that way, since it had been years since she was last able to even do that.

As the suburban entered into the southern part of town with more homes and businesses showing up, Gabby looked again at the kunoichi and saw how the girl leaned even more into Devon. Reaching out, she gently laid a hand on her shoulder, encouraging her, "It's going to be okay, Rama, the town is used to us and my mom is part of our family. With all of your human aunts at home, you must be used to that, right?"

Rama knew that Gabby was trying to calm her and to bring a bit of familiarity to her situation. Getting a handle on her resolve, she muttered quietly, "Um, sure, ah, yeah - I am actually. We even have trusted human friends of the clan." She thought about it and realized that maybe she was overreacting. "Like April and Casey's family, or Jessie and his mom."

Curious, Devon asked, looking over at Rama, "Whose Jessie?"

Talking seemed to help her be a little more relaxed, so Rama replied, "He's a friend I made years ago. Actually, Jessie is my oldest and dearest friend. We're still awfully close; although not in the way we were before when he was only in elementary school." Rama went on to explain, "Back then, he thought he was a freak because he had a real bad stuttering problem. The other kids would either tease or beat up on him for it."

Devon well knew and understood the kind of pain that Rama's friend, Jessie, suffered through. He was quite aware how cruel other children could be based on his own personal experiences. "How did you meet him?"

Rama glanced over at Leo before answering Devon, "I broke the rules and snuck up to topside. I had an old oversized hoodie sweat jacket I would wear. Nobody in the clan even knew I had it. I wasn't quite seven then, so being topside, except for when I was on nightly supervised exercises, was not allowed." She noticed Leo's eyes glance over at her, although he kept his head facing forward as he listened. He smiled a little, seemingly amused by her candor.

Devon chuckled a bit, saying, "You were willing to brave people then, but not now?"

"I hadn't met Jessie's mom, yet. When she was finally introduced to Jessie's 'imaginary' friend, she really didn't like the idea of her son playing with me. She hated us and could have caused all sorts of problems for the family, all because I broke the rules." Rama replied. She paused a moment as she reflected, understanding, now, the depth of danger she had inflicted upon her clan at that time. Rama then went on to say, "In fact, we moved to avoid her and it was a long time before I saw Jessie again. But, finally, when we reconnected, his mom was willing to face her own prejudice surrounding us to help Jessie. We taught him a lot about martial arts. It helped him learn how to protect himself. He doesn't stutter now except for when he gets nervous or scared."

Devon realized that with what she was sharing, Rama's friendship with this boy had been a lesson in caution. She had gained a friend but she might have also harmed her entire family by revealing too about them to Jessie. In her innocence at the age of seven, she might not have been as capable of keeping herself safe or as well hidden from others as she could now. No wonder Rama felt as she did about being so exposed. He now was starting to understand her a bit more.

…………

After a few minutes, Mike turned the SUV off Highway One and headed west down Ocean Ave. As the car rolled along, Rama steeled herself from panicking. Only because the windows were heavily tinted did she not drop to the floor to hide. Rama knew that she could see out, but those on the outside could not see in. That was her saving grace. Yet, despite her fears, she soon braved watching the view, taking note of the wide variety of stores that Carmel offered. After a moment, though, she noticed something amiss.

"Mike, didn't you say that Cassie's shop was about four or five blocks off the highway?" she asked.

Mike looked in the rear view mirror and replied, "Ah, yeah, why?" Raph sniggered as he turned his head around to look at the kunoichi. She saw a smile on his face as if he was quite amused with her question.

"Well, we've already passed by at least eight blocks. Are you sure she lives this way?" Rama knew Mike had said four or five blocks just the other day when he had brought her to the studio. Because she was already on edge, her ninja senses were keenly acute to missteps and traps.

"I think I know where Cassie lives, Rama. Maybe I said four or five, but I've never really counted the blocks. I just drive and I'm there. Why is it such a big deal to be so correct?" he asked her.

"Just is…" Rama said tartly. She now felt that Mike had originally given her misinformation and currently she felt more apprehensive than before. Still, maybe it was just a matter of driving and not paying that much attention to the number of blocks. If she had to account the exact number of moves for each kata she performed, she might round that number off herself.

Soon, Mike made a right-hand turn on what Rama noticed was Lincoln Street. Not too long after that, he parked the suburban on the east side of the byway, parallel in front of the The Musical Note. "Why don't you kids go on inside. I want to go find a better parking spot." He turned around to look back towards Rama, Devon and the others. "Plus, I need to discuss some things with Raph and Leo."

As Rama looked out across Leo's view at the busy sidewalk, her fear shot upward like a rocket. Her breathing came in sudden ragged gasps as she saw all the people milling about, going in or coming out of the various shops. Her mind quickly calculated how fast she could make it from the car to the store without anyone seeing her. Yet, she had this feeling her Sensei would force her to get out on Devon's side, which faced the street. It would be near impossible, then, to do anything about not being seen.

Devon felt her tense up almost immediately, giving him the feeling that she would try to bowl anyone over if she went ninja. "Stay calm, Rama-love, move slowly, I'll be right beside you." He murmured softly to her before exiting. He kept a hold of her hand, yet he felt a momentary resistance from her. Still, he was not about to let her drag him after her nor would he let her go. He would make sure of it.

However, instead of getting out of the car as Devon had done, Rama sat stone still in her seat. In that moment, she felt completely exposed, keenly aware of the many people who were strolling along the sidewalk and street. Despite Devon being outside and clutching her left hand, she refused to move. Leo continued to sit next to her with Mike and Raph waiting in the front seat. Raph looked back at her once, smirking as if he was quite enjoying her discomfort. It was obvious to Rama that he was not going to forgive her too easily for the April Fools joke she had played on him.

Turning in his seat towards her, Leo instructed patiently, "Rama, please exit the car."

The girl tried to dip into her ninja calm, to summon her resolve to obey her sensei, but – despite years of conditioning – she could not. The best she could do was to haltingly shake her head 'no' and cringe because of her disobedience.

Leo could sense the fear and trepidation in his student, but he had an agenda to fulfill. "Rama, it is not a suggestion. Please exit the vehicle."

Hesitantly and knowing full well that those who had left the car were now watching the escalating war of wills, she replied, "I – can't, Sensei, I – I – I just can't. My legs won't move. Please, I'll stay in the car; I'm fine with that, really." She was almost begging now.

However, Leo admonished her, his voice firm and insistent, "You will exit, **_NOW_**, Ramiela!"

From years of abiding by the Leo in her other world, Rama was out of the car faster than she had wanted to move; too well trained to ignore such a directive. With each challenge he gave her, Rama was finding that the Leo in this world was just as influential with his demands as her true sensei was. Now, despite her revulsion to being out in the open among people without her coat and hat, Rama stood completely exposed. "Sensei…" she begged in near panic as she looked back at him in desperation.

Leo admonished her. "While we are out in public, Ramiela, you will address me by my given name."

Gulping nervously, she pleaded with him, using his correct name, "Leonardo, I – I'm not so – so sure about this. I don't know if I can do this." She took a step towards the interior of the car as if to climb back inside.

However, Leo slipped into the seat previously occupied by Devon to block her way. He took note of his nephew holding her hand, "Devon, please release Ramiela, and then join Seth and Gabby over at the shop."

Rama snapped her head around to face him as he obediently, yet reluctantly, let go of her. He allowed his fingers to trail along her hand as he did so, caressing her fingertips a fraction of a second before completely releasing them. Then, without further hesitation, he headed over to the sidewalk. He looked back at her once and smiled a little to encourage her, but then turned around again as he headed for the store.

Rama truly did not want to go any further, she attempted once more to get back into the car, but Leo – as before – refused her entrance. Placing a hand on her left shoulder and with the other tipping her face up to look at him, he gently admonished her, "No, Ramiela, you cannot come back in. You're making great progress right now. The next thing you need to do is to walk towards the Musical Note." He nodded towards the store just a few feet from where they stood.

The others had gathered around the door, waiting. Gabby and Seth were tending to Mindy, who just could not understand why they had to wait to see her 'Ganma'. As it was, Gabby didn't want to leave Rama so alone, even with Devon there. As support, she decided that they should all wait until the girl joined up with them. Yet, Mindy did not quite understand the situation. Consequently, she was throwing a bit of a fit about it with her persistent queries.

While they were distracted with calming the child, Devon watched Rama's painful situation. He easily felt her fear and trepidation mount. He so wanted to help her, but Leo had given him an order and it was an order he could not challenge.

Ramiela looked over at her beloved, longing to be next to him. Realizing that in order to do that she had to walk out in the open, she gathered her courage. Finally, she nodded at her sensei and reluctantly turned towards the store. Taking one step, then two, three steps and then a few more, Rama worked her way around the back of the suburban and towards her goal. Leo slipped out of the vehicle to follow her a little, barring any retreat she might try to make. More importantly, though, he wanted to give her support and protection, not that she would need it. Still, he could sense her strengthening resolve the closer she approached the others, which pleased him greatly. He smiled just as with each step she took, her courage grew.

However, as she made for the others she began to feel quite vulnerable. Almost as soon as she cleared the suburban, Rama felt someone looking at her. She peered around with nervous eyes and soon spied a neighboring shop next to the Musical Note. It proprietor was standing just outside the door, a women who appeared to be in her mid fifties. She then smiled at Rama as she caught her gaze. Remembering what Devon had told her to do, Rama smiled back, albeit somewhat insecurely. She was relieved to receive an even bigger grin from the women. However, with people coming into her store, the shop owner slipped back inside to tend to her business.

Yet, the woman was not the only one who had taken note of the family's arrival. Several shopkeepers and various other people in the vicinity had ceased their activity to observe briefly the group at the Musical Note. In that moment, Rama wanted desperately to find a place where she could hide. As she quickly assessed her options, she realized with a sinking heart that it was noontime. With the sun directly overhead, she knew that not even one shadow would be available to use. Understanding her only course of action opened to her, she quickly closed the gap between herself and the others. Leo smiled, confident that Rama had conquered this particular demon, and then he returned to the car. As soon as he closed the door, Mike drove the suburban further down the road. Soon, activity on Lincoln Street returned to normal, virtually ignoring the tightly knit group of reptilian mutants that waited along the sidewalk.

Once Rama was beside Devon again, he brought her up close to him. With the background noise of other cars driving by as well as the murmuring from the people-crowded walkways, he was able to whisper into Rama's ear, "It's a low down trick for Leo to push this on you, but I tried warning you yesterday. Leo knows you want to use caution, but he doesn't want that caution to become a fear." He took his free hand and turned her head gently to face him, stroking her cheek, "And neither do I." He kissed her lightly and then began to steer her towards the shop door.

As she thought about the longest walk in her life, Rama had never felt so naked or vulnerable before. That is except for maybe when the scientist had strapped her down to a table while checking to see if she was ready to mate. Yet, here in Carmel, with each step Rama had taken, her legs had moved stiffly and her heart beating rapidly. Every instinct screamed for her to run and hide. Yet she had grabbed as much calmness as she could, determined not to draw attention to her self by bolting for the store. After all, she realized that there could be customers in there, strangers who might not understand her. She had felt Leo reach out to her with his senses to calm her and, because of that, Rama had been somewhat relieved. His 'touch' had given her a reassuring bit of calmness. She accepted it gratefully, almost desperately, feeling an immediate decrease in her stress levels.

As they stepped inside the shop, Devon and Rama followed Seth and Gabby. The bell above the threshold announced their arrival as soon as they passed through the doorway. Mindy was walking between her parents, holding onto their hands and babbling on about how long it took to get there. She was trying to sound all impatient as she went on and on about the delay. However, she yipped excitedly when she realized that they were finally in 'Ganma's' shop! "Hey, Ganma! Where ah you?!" she exclaimed exuberantly.

Rama soon noticed that the inside of the store seemed relatively calm and peaceful. Once the door closed behind them it was also a bit darker and it allowed the girl to relax a little more. Right away, she could detect the scent of sandalwood in the air, a pleasing aroma that brought back memories of her master's room back in her world. As she continued to peer around, other than the two front windows that overlooked the sidewalk and street, the interior of the shop offered a decent amount of privacy. With Devon in tow, Rama tried her best to stick to the darker areas inside the store as she visually took everything in. She noted glass shelves along the walls and some in the center of the shop that were freestanding on wood supports within. A large variety of instruments and keepsakes were on display here and there. Framed sheets of music stood proudly among numerous other items such as antique music boxes. The merchandise artfully arranged gave an attractive appearance to the shop. Visually, it was quite pleasing to Rama. Looking around some more, she saw that the sales counter was on one side just in front of the door where she had first come in. Then, further back from there towards the rear of the shop, she saw an opened, but curtained, doorway. _"Probably where Cassie stores her extra stock."_ Rama murmured to herself. Just before that, however, were some tall opened bookshelves that seemed to create a small space between it and the storage room in back. Upon further visual inspection, Rama could detect a small table with a couple of chairs around it. Covered in a floral cloth with a lace covering on top of that, a small vase of flowers graced the middle of the table. In fact, as Rama looked around, she saw several small and a few larger vases, all filled with fresh flowers. It gave an earthy, lived in look to the otherwise business related shop.

However, for the moment, she and the others were the only ones there. Not even Gabby's mom seemed to be present, which helped comfort Rama to some small degree. She silently prayed that they would have the store to themselves and not have to deal with customers coming in. It was bad enough they were visiting Cassie; one stranger to meet was plenty as far as Rama was concerned. Much to her delight, Seth took the 'open' sign in the window and turned it around to read 'closed'. _"At least he had enough sense to think of that!"_ Rama mused to herself in relief.

"Ganma!" Mindy called out in anticipation to seeing her grandmother. She squealed in excitement, clapping her hands as Gabby picked her up. The young mother knew all to well the many breakable items on the various shelves, items that for a three year old would be far too tempting to not touch!

Devon allowed Rama's hand to slip out of his as she began to wander about the shop. He smiled as he saw her stroll over to a shelf to admire some of the music boxes on display there. She picked one up and wound it to hear the tune. Soon, _'The Music of the Night'_ from Phantom of the Opera, began to play; it was one of her favorite songs. Rama had always related to the Phantom, how he was 'stuck' in the basement of the opera house, a prisoner as well as a tormentor. It had always been one of her special memories to go and see a showing of the play. It was a rare moment where she 'mingled' with the human world for just a few hours.

The familiar tune, so far from her home, did a great deal to reassure and comfort her. As she assessed her situation and the fact that people, for the most part, ignored her, being out in the open here in Carmel and in the store, might not be so bad. She did have the others for support and that did help her quite a bit. As the music played, however, Rama smiled a little. She recalled how she used to sing in the lab to bolster her own spirits or ease the tension of being in that awful place. It was one of the few things the scientist could not take from her. She now began to sing softly in time with the music box.

_"Let your mind start a journey to this strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before - let your soul take you where you long to be. Only then will you belong to me,"_ she sang along. Rama realized that those words had added all new meaning to her own life, a prisoner of sorts to what she was and where she had to live – except for here. Here in this world, in Carmel, she had freedom. Here she could be out among humans and not fear for her life. It was all so very strange and new to her and, she had to admit, rather exciting, too.

Gabby smiled warmly, realizing that Rama was finally relaxing now and, while she still seemed on edge, there was calmness about her that had been missing before. Being in the shop had seemed to ease some of Rama's uncertainties as she began to connect to the musical objects displayed on the shelves.

Rama kept her voice soft and low, yet it carried well enough to those listening. Though the music box finally finished the tune, she continued to sing its song, caught up with the music and where her thoughts were taking her.

_"She's not bad singer, really,"_ Gabby reflected to herself, _"with proper voice training she'd be quite good, in fact."_

Devon smiled and relaxed as well. Maybe his sister was better at singing and could easily best the young kunoichi in that endeavour, but Rama was still a good vocalist in her own right. Up until now, he had not realized that Rama had an interest in music, not ever hearing her sing before now. Yet, as he thought about it, when he had teased her so much early on, he realized that Rama might not have wanted him to hear her. A true ninja would never have given away any more information to use against them than was necessary. _"I must get her to sing for me!"_ he mused happily to himself.

Suddenly, there was a sound of clapping, which startled Ramiela. She had not realized that the others might be listening to her, so she blushed just a little. She turned around to see who was applauding her song, smiling and ducking her head a little in embarrassment. At first, she noted that Mindy seemed to be doing the honors. Yet, there was still someone else who had clapped.

As she followed the sound, what Rama saw next nearly gave her a heart attack. There, standing in the doorway of the backroom in front of the curtain, was an apparition. At least, to her, at first that was exactly how it appeared. Yet, she knew it was not a ghost. "How can this be?" she asked herself frantically. "She's supposed to be DEAD!"

"Nicely done, Ramiela." The person said to her, smiling as she ceased her applause.

As Rama thought about how 'dead' this person should be she realized that this world was not dissimilar to her own. Yet, it wasn't exactly like what she knew and understood, either. There were obvious duplicates of her family, that much she understood. Yet, in that moment, Ramiela realized in sudden horror that there were obvious duplicates of others that she knew, as well. This was not expected, it wasn't something she had even considered. Nevertheless, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt who this apparition was who stood before her. She could not believe of whom she was seeing! One look was all Ramiela needed to know that this apparition, this woman, was an honest to goodness threat to her and the others. In the instant that she took to assess this human, the more Rama realized that this person was a danger to her. How it could be did not matter. Ramiela was already on high alert, and her insecurities with being fully exposed to the human world at their worst. With her senses at full tilt, she knew that this time, she would not be a victim. This time, she would fight back. Her ninja defences began to quickly kick in, every fiber of her being on a razor sharp edge and ready for battle. The hatred and anger she felt in that moment spilled over to everyone else who was there.

As if in slow motion, Seth and Devon both turned towards her in surprise, their eyes going wide. Rama saw them as they tried to speak to her, but it was as if her hearing no longer worked. She turned back towards the threat and as she did so, she felt an earthquake-like tremor ride up her very being as her ninjitsu took over. To make matters more poignant for her, in a split second and as far as she was concerned, Rama felt that she had been lead into a trap – betrayed once again!

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Pretender_**_: You might have misread things or Reinbeauchaser corrected any mistake before I saw it, but when I checked the chapter and where Rama is discussing Tyler doing katas it does say " My brother Tyler is six months or so, younger than Mindy." Mindy is three, Tyler being about six months younger is two and a half so he is quite capable of talking and the katas Rama has taught him are very simple moves to keep him happy. Thanks for the review._

**_Danceingfae_**_:Well Gabby has a few issues not having grown up in a ninja clan it is harder to accept what seems so natural to those who have grown up in the clan itself. Ah yes, what a combo Devon and Rama. Thanks for the review._

**_Vestequex_**_: Don't worry more Rama trials and Rama/Devon romance coming up. Good to see you and Don have made up. Rama plans on making her stay very enjoyable but it might get more uncomfortable first. Thanks for the review._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_PRETENDER FANATIC:_**_ Ah, no, Tyler is NOT six months, he's about 6 months younger than Mindy. Basically, he's thirty months old. Or, maybe even a little older since Min might be a few months past being 3 years. Still, it was mentioned in Rahab that the kids matured faster, getting around sooner, than human babies did. Gaele was nearly a 4.0 graduating from H.S., with just about every college she applied for wanting her. She chose Cornell, only because her father made her – this after she was pulled over driving his Testarosa at 150 mph!!! (While he and Rahab were in Japan for Splinter's funeral). Yeah, Mike flexed some muscle in that trilogy!! Not the funny man he's portrayed elsewhere. As far as the verbal fight goes, that's what Gabby does best! It's what vexed the Professor time after time, too. Unless Gabs was facing Don – then, she was so intimidated by him! Again, Wendy's portrayal of the TMNT's is based on the idea that they are real, using the comics, cartoons, and movies about them as means for revenue. Based on them, but not exactly like them – you know, the way Hollywood does 'inspired by a true story' movies. Yeah, like that. Glad you liked the verbal confrontation! We worked hard on it, you can be certain! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Well, if you read YD, you will have learned that for every fear Gabby had there was an equal and greater challenge given to her. Namely, from Leo – or Mike! Consequently, – she's kept this one under wraps. I did write her in YD thinking that she was going to have to be careful letting anyone know of any other fears she may have. Gabs probably hoped that training her daughter wouldn't be necessary, not truly understanding Ninjitsu and all its traditions. After all, she's a mom, now, not a warrior in training like she was in YD. Ah, well, gee – all those anime hearts flitting about - that sort of opens the Pandora's Box of One-Shots, doesn't it? Oh, good night, my mind is popping away with ideas, now. THANKS – a LOT, Dancing….I was just coming off of posting my latest one-shot and here you go giving me an idea for yet another one. Like I need that kind of stress right now! Rubs hands evilly as new ways of torturing Devon and the others come to mind! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing….be blessed!_

**_VESTQUEX_**_: College life has influenced you way too much, Vest! Good for Donny that he's keeping tabs on you! LOL Chocolatey goodness? Ohhhkkaaaay….hmm…A chocolate turtle? Would that be with caramel and pecans? Yummy! Hand him over, right now! :0) Anyway, glad you like the little detour…will be some more down the way a bit, along with a bit more of what you'd prefer. Trying to keep this in Gabby's world and have them interact as true to their 'calling' as possible. Yet, there are always plenty of challenges for Rama, and with this chapter, it's only just begun! Bwahahaha! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _


	32. Let Loose the Dogs of War!

**_DISCLAIMER_**_Our thanks and appreciation goes out to VestqueX, who - in a review she wrote to us some time ago - gave us a good portion of the action scenes found in this chapter. We did change and added to it so it would work for the circumstances. Thanks, Vest, for the inspiration. Once a__gain, Ramica owns Rama while Reinbeauchaser owns Gabby, and Mindy. Oh, and the people on Lincoln Street, as well as The Musical Note – despite Cassie's protests! :0) _

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**CHAPTER 32 – LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR**

Mike had parked the car a bit further away where there was more room and a chance to speak a bit more privately with his two brothers. He had watched Devon lead Rama into the shop and so he hoped that now the girl would relax a bit more. It was important that Ramiela trust them and their advice about things in this world. Mike knew that Leo had only pushed the point with her because it was not necessary for Ramiela to wear a disguise for the short time in town. Moreover, if she were to remain here in this world, then Rama would have to get used to the idea of living among people. Considering how intolerant his brother was about fears, it was a given he would present this situation to her as soon as possible. Overall, it was for Rama's own good.

Since she was Gabby's mom, Mike knew that Cassandra could be trusted as well. In fact, he knew that she would close up shop for the duration of the visit. It was what she did, anyway, whenever any of them would come by. She did this in order to have a proper bit of time with them without the interruption from customers. Seeing the 'open' sign turned to 'close' did not alert Mike to any future problems brewing within the store. It was all expected.

Confident that all was well, Mike began the conversation, "Heard from Thomas last night. He's concerned about Don."

"Why?" Raph asked, "Don can care for himself."

"Well," Mike explained, "he's been sequestering himself in his room at the Hotel Hankyu penthouse in Osaka for the past few days, ever since that meeting concluded. He gave explicit orders that he doesn't want to be disturbed."

Leo grinned a little, commenting, "That isn't too unusual, Mike, not when Don has something on his mind. He's always been like that, even locking himself in his room for days at a time when we were younger. You should know that. Why would it bother Thomas so much? He should know his own boss, I would think."

"Well, "Mike went on to say, "There seems to be other concerns that has Thomas worried. In his words, 'all isn't as it should be'. He didn't want to go into too much detail on the phone for security reasons, but he did say they had a few problems soon after that last meeting Don had. They've received some very carefully worded and cleverly disguised threats to his 'health', as it was stated." Mike took a breath and continued, "Thomas isn't happy about leaving Don alone because of that. It seemed that before Don locked himself away, neither one of them had yet been able to figure out if the threats were connected to his current dealings or something separate from them."

Leo scowled at this news, suddenly concerned. Knowing his brother's valet as he did, if these were the only 'things' Thomas felt safe mentioning over the phone, then whatever else had gone on must have been far worse. Leo knew that sometimes his brother's business dealings did not sit well with those involved. Having to confront aggressive business opponents wasn't anything new and whereDon managed to keep his training and ninja skills up to par, Leo never had to worry about him. In fact, just before discovering Ramiela when Don had flown out to New York, he had been in Japan prior to that visiting Leo. While there, the two had engaged with some intense sparring. Don had wanted to sharpen up his skills where he had put too much time dealing with his businesses. The Ryu outside of Osaka, where Leo lived, therefore provided him with the means to work out. As they sparred, Leo had noted that his brother did indeed need the extra work. It was apparent that Don's hectic schedule had kept him so busy that he could not keep up with his training. The fact that Don had allowed Leo's katana the opportunity to add one more 'scratch' in his carapace was proof enough. Smiling at the memory of that strike and the ire it caused his brother, Leo found it all rather amusing. Yet, now, his concern was outweighing his brief recollection. He sat in his seat and thought deeply about what Mike had just shared.

…………

Cassandra, shocked by the sudden animosity she felt from the new turtle in the clan, could only stand in the doorway and watch. She was clueless as to the reason for the strong emotions this young warrior was giving off. Gabby had already told her about Ramiela and, until now, the woman had been looking forward to meeting this displaced kunoichi. Now, the anger she sensed from this girl made her quite wary, forcing her to be on the defensive. Except for three years ago at Mike's place, it had been some time since she last had to use her skills. She momentarily berated herself for not keeping them sharp. Now, not knowing what she was up against, Cassie was unsure what Rama was going to do.

"SHAY!" Rama loudly spat the word out. She noticed the sudden puzzled look cross Cassie's face. Then, after a quick moment, it was replaced by shock, confirming to Rama - at least - that the woman was familiar with the name.

Standing a ways from her, Devon didn't have a clue what had shaken Ramiela up so suddenly. He did notice that Seth was keeping himself between Gabby and Cassandra. He heard his brother whisper to his wife to get herself and Mindy behind the register counter and wait. It was apparent that Seth wasn't taking any chances, not with what he saw happening. If Rama was going to become violent – and what Devon could sense from her said as much – it was a given Seth would want his wife and child somewhere safe.

Gabby, remembering the conversation she had earlier with the girl, turned to her husband before obeying his orders. She quickly warned him, whispering, "Seth, I think Rama believes Cassie's her mom."

Rama barked out a laugh that sounded nothing like the playful laugh she usually gave. She began to take slow careful steps towards the woman, spouting "Of course – _Cassandra!"_ Rama hissed out the name, making it sound worse than any swear word ever spoken, "You can change names the way you change hair color, it seems." she sneered, remembering that her mother had dark brown hair. "It appears for you that today might very well be a good day to _die_." Rama growled low and threatening.

Sensing her intent, Devon quickly darted in front of Rama, determined to stop her or at least block her passage. "Rama, NO!" he said urgently and quickly, "This is Gabby's mom; she is a friend of the clan. Cassie is NOT a danger to you!" He reached out and gently, yet firmly, grabbed a hold of Rama's right arm to stop her from advancing.

"She is no _friend_ to me, Devon, and she _cannot_ be trusted!" Rama countered desperately. Focused on how she saw Cassie, not one word from him penetrated her resolve. As much as Rama cared for Devon, she had her limits. She knew one thing for certain, that not one mutant child would be safe in Shay's company and no one, not even her beloved, would stop her from protecting the little girl. All she could do was think about Mindy, about what Shay could do to her. Though the child by comparison looked more human, she was still an obvious result between the two species. Rama suddenly went ninja, turning her arm easily from Devon's embrace. She ducked down and rolled her shoulders a bit, quickly grabbing his arms and tossing him easily aside.

Surprised by her swift response, Devon could not react quickly enough. More to the point, Rama had dipped into her ninjitsu so fast it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Devon soon found himself flung into some glass shelves and, as a result, he involuntarily knocked a slew of music boxes to the floor. They splintered on impact into several pieces, the glass shelving disintegrating, as well. He grimaced, as he was quite aware that many of Cassie's music boxes were irreplaceable antiques. Yet, in the next moment, Devon realized that he had shards of glass embedded into him, too, and none deeper than in his left arm. It bled generously as he lay there in the midst of chaos, groaning in agony.

Gabby huddled fearfully behind the cashier stand, holding Mindy tightly away from the ruckus. She used her own body to protect her child, praying that somehow her husband would be able to stop Rama. Gabby also hoped that her father and uncles would somehow sense the problem from where they were parked. Seeing Rama change from a demure friend to one of lethal intensity, Gabby was frightened. Her daughter, cuing in on her mother's fear, began to howl in fright. Her cries intensified even more with the sound of Devon crashing noisily into the display shelves. Gabby knew that somehow Rama had connected Cassandra to the mother who had twice kidnapped the kunoichi, the mother who had planned to exploit her and then almost killing her in the process. Was it possible that her mom and Rama's were one and the same? Considering that Rama's father and uncles had twins in this world, it was quite possible. It could only account for Rama's behavior; that much Gabby decided. Judging from the nearly silent calm from the young warrior after the initial shock, Gabby knew the girl had gone ninja. Therefore, she did not know what Rama planned on doing. The girl's words of a 'good day to die' did nothing to ease Gabby's fears either.

Yet, if Ramiela's reaction was anything like what she experienced three years earlier, it did not bode well for her mom – or the store, for that matter.

……….

The three turtles were well into discussing Don when their attention diverted to The Musical Note. As Leo's eyes went wide, Raph was the first to voice that not all was right. He snapped his head back to the others and declared, "Something's gone wrong!"

Then, the sound of crashing glass shattered the stillness of the street. The three in the suburban noticed that they were not the only ones who had heard it, either. People, who were strolling along the sidewalks and even some shopkeepers, became instantly aware that something was going on in the music store. They stopped what they were doing and turned their attention towards the shop in question.

Immediately, short of going ninja, Mike and his brothers barreled out of the car and ran as fast as they could towards the store. They ignored the people who stared at them with some even braving a question to them as to what was going on. However, all three turtles knew instinctively that time was of the essence. Mike knew that if things were not quelled fast enough, the townspeople would end up calling in for legal reinforcements.  
  
"What in hell's going on in there?" Raph bellowed low as he sprinted towards the business.

"Whatever it is, we better stop it quick before someone calls in the authorities!" Mike seethed, running alongside his brother.

As they made for the shop, Leo reached out with his senses and immediately felt the rage and shock of one young kunoichi. Her anger was overwhelming whatever else was going on inside the store. In his mind, he had heard Rama scream out 'SHAY!' a second before Raph mentioned that something was wrong. He doubled his speed, knowing that the girl had gone ninja in that instant, knowing that not even Devon had been able to hold her back.

……….

Seth immediately went to stand guard over by Cassandra, pitting himself between her and Rama. He suddenly realized that forcing her to face people this soon might not have been such a good idea after all. The way Rama had so easily pitched Devon across the room had been enough to warn him that she was not the calm ninja he had come to know. No, he thought, she was a skilled and deadly warrior who was ready to do battle. It was soon clear to him, now, that she was on a mission.

What Rama was experiencing was more than going ninja. She realized in an instant that this level of ninjitsu was one that her sensei had discussed with her – and one she had been warned against using. This was what her Uncle Raphael implemented in battle, what he used to slam his way through impossible odds and what kept him fighting long after everyone else was exhausted. This was absolute power of unleashed rage and hate – and, right now, it felt good to Rama. She could finally get her revenge on her tormentor, her worse nightmare – her mother! Where her Uncle Raphael had done the deed in her world, here she could finally claim that honor for herself. Her heart was pounding in her ears. Everything and everyone seemed to be moving slower. It was as if she was in a movie and someone had slowed the film down. Yet, she knew beyond a doubt that they were not moving slower as much as she was moving faster! Even more curious, her vision had gone from normal to a deep red, blood red, in fact, and -as far as she was concerned - it was Shay's blood. Yet, whether it was Shay's or the blood of this twin, either would do quite well for it was all the same to her.

In that next moment, Raph, Mike and Leo came charging into the store, taking note the changed attitude of the kunoichi. Leo had already picked up on her wild anger and hatred from out on the street and now his heart leapt to his throat. Although he could not understand for the life of him why, he realized in that instant that Rama might try to do harm to Cassandra. Surely, the girl didn't hate humans that much or feel so vulnerable in their company that she had to react this strongly? Yet, the name, Shay, echoed in him and he knew beyond a doubt that it resonated within Rama as well. It definitely created strong emotional ties from his student to Cassie. Good or bad, they were strong ties none the less.

All three turtles noticed Devon was already down along one side of the room, groaning with one arm bleeding quite well. Yet, they could not do anything for him, not with the volatile situation at hand.

"RAMA, STOP, THAT'S AN ORDER!" Leo yelled, using her shorter name to get her attention. He saw her glare back at him and he knew in an instant she was beyond hearing. Getting his brothers' attention, Leo directed quietly, "We need to distract her somehow, get her to take her focus off of Cassie!"

Mike was the closest of the three to what was going on in the store. He was also quite aware that Cassandra's life was in jeopardy. Rama snapped her head around, again, and scowled at these twins of her family. She could sense that they intended to stop her, yet she did not wish to be. She knew what she had to do, what she wanted to do, and no one, not even her adopted sensei, would keep her from that goal.

The three males went into full ninja mode and swiftly moved towards Rama. Yet, to the kunoichi who observed them, it was as if they were moving through molasses. Everything around her seemed extremely slow, even the 'tick-tock' sound of the clock on the wall seemed augmented. Since she had realized Shay's presence, its gong seemed drawn out and its hands had barely budged. Comparing everything else, she was moving faster than normal and it gave her a tremendous feeling of power.

Mike, where he was the closest to her, rushed in and reached out to grab onto Rama. However, despite his experience and much to his surprise, she easily maneuvered away from his outstretched hands. Sidestepping Mike's attempts to stop her, she tripped him easily, causing him to crash to the floor. She then ninja kicked him, sending him careening away from her on his shell before he could react. Mike ended up hard against a freestanding stack of glass shelves. The force toppled the shelves and its contents onto the floor and onto him in disarray. He covered his head with his arms to deflect the falling objects. Though Mike turned his carapace upward and towards the downpour of glass, he couldn't avoid the shards of glass spraying down on him. He felt the piercing cut of several shards of glass as they impaled themselves into his exposed flesh._ "Ah, I hate glass cuts!"_ he seethed to himself.

Raph was close behind Mike. In order to trip her, he tried to knock Rama down by charging into her back legs. However, Ramiela saw his move almost before he had even made it. Lightening fast, she back flipped and rolled over his shell, ending up behind him and snickering a little as if amused by his feeble attempt. It seemed as if he was not as capable as her Uncle, after all. She then implemented a tornado kick, easily knocking him off balance and forcing him up against more shelving. This time, whatever items were on the shelf, stayed put. Ending up on his back with a dull thud, she could hear him gasping. Rama knew then that Raph had the air literally knocked out of him. He could only lay there to recoup his breathing before attempting anything more against her.

In just under five seconds, she had incapacitated his brothers. Leonardo stood stunned. He quickly surveyed the damage, noting Devon groaning with shards of glass imbedded in his arm, Raph trying to suck wind, and Mike gingerly trying to avoid the glass where he was laying. Leo suddenly realized in that moment that he and Seth were the last line of defense between Rama and Cassie. He wasted no more time, springing into action by jumping up and over her in hopes of cutting her off. Landing deftly and with the expertise of a seasoned warrior, he now stood between his student and the woman she was intending on dispatching.

Rama saw his move and it only caused her fury to heighten even greater. Under normal circumstances, she would have backed down to him, if only because she had accepted him as her sensei in this world. However, this was not normal circumstance. She felt betrayed. This was one area where she was unwilling to concede. Right now, being in full-blown rage, all she knew was that Leo was just another obstacle between her and her prey.

Simply put, he had to be removed.

He quickly assessed Rama - and then made a decision. Faster than Leo had done in quite a long time, the master ninja executed a tornado kick. He lashed out at her, aiming for her midsection in order to not only disable her but to knock the wind out of her. However, Rama met his kick in mid air with one of her own. With a force that surprised him, she caught Leo's foot and slammed it back. The effect caused him to suddenly whirl in reverse. He flew backwards through the air towards the cashier counter, unable to brace himself before slamming helplessly into the wood barrier. The counter rocked back and forth, ridding anything on the top that was not fastened down to rain over Gabby and Mindy. He could hear his daughter-in-law scream out in surprise, but, more importantly, Leo could hear his granddaughter cry out in pain. Yet, it all happened so fast that he did not have time to right himself before Seth's attempt to dissuade Rama.

Seth braced himself as he realized that, since entering the shop, all of this had happened in under half a minute. He realized in horror that there wasn't any way for Cassie to escape. All paths through the store that led to the front door were littered with either broken glass or merchandise, making it treacherous even for the most skilled. Already, the store was in shambles and, more than likely, someone from the neighboring stores had called the police. The fact that Mindy and Gabby were cowering in fear behind the desk and possibly injured gave Seth a sense of panic and resolve. Yet, given Rama's quick dispatch of his family, he knew that he did not have much time.

Seth came at Rama in a sudden rush and feigned a kick at her. He then suddenly changed his tactics. In a split second, he swung his tail around sharply in an attempt of knocking Rama off her feet. As if expecting it, she grabbed his appendage as she had with Devon's during their first match. Rama then twisted the tail hard, inflicting great pain as she bared her teeth in anger. Seth yelped out in surprise and agony, but still she kept her hold. Before he could augment his position or block out the pain, though, Rama struck out with her foot. She then released his tail as she side-kicked him, sending him towards another of the freestanding shelf units. Missing it by mere inches, however, Seth crumpled to the floor unharmed. Rama then looked over at the woman whom she saw as 'Shay'.

Cassandra had watched everything unfold with an unusual calm. She watched this obviously very skilled warrior dispatch otherwise equally capable ninjas with hardly breaking a sweat. She was quite impressed with the girl's abilities. To undo the clan as thoroughly as Rama had done and as quickly as she had, she had proven to be quite talented. In fact, the girl seemed more able than Cassie was for the moment. The woman knew in an instant that she did not stand a chance against the kunoichi. Why this 'child' had such hatred for her was a complete mystery and yet, for the moment, Cassie had to put her questions aside. She locked eyes with the young warrior, readying herself for whatever Rama was going to do, hoping that somehow, some sense would come to the girl.

Now with her target in sight and close at hand, Ramamoved even quicker than before. She leaped towards Cassandra/Shay, grabbing up one of the tall vase of flowers that sat on an unmolested glass shelf. As she hit the ground, she smashed the ceramic container against the floor behind her. Water and flowers with bits of broken glass spilled out along the aisle-way, creating another obstacle for anyone wishing to stop her. **T**hen, just to make sure that the others would not interfere, Rama took the vase and broke the shelf, as well.Now, large chunks of glass littered the floor behind her, an effective deterrent to any interruption. She was now mere feet from Cassie. Yet, Rama had moved so fast that the woman had little time to react.

Rama now held what remained of the vase as she would any weapon, its sharp jagged 'teeth' of the broken ceramic aimed for her target. Shay was going to pay, right here, right now, and Rama was not about to let this woman go…no way in hell. Before Cassandra could react or even shout for help, Rama kicked the woman's feet out from under her. Cassie fell, but not completely. The threshold of the doorway broke her fall, causing her to bang her head up against the side of the opening. The force caused her to be slightly dazed, but only for a moment. Yet, it was in that moment that Rama took advantage. Cassandra tried to right herself, but it was too late. In a moment that seemed too fast to be real, Rama straddled the woman and grabbed her throat in a vice-like grip. All Cassie could do was to stare at the wild-like and nearly half-crazed girl as Rama drew back her 'weapon'.

Devon finally found his footing and stood up. His left arm ached with the various shards of glass embedded into it, but his main concern was for Rama – and Cassie. He immediately took in the scene and saw where Rama practically had Cassandra down on her back. With his heart nearly stopping, in the next second he saw her pin Gabby's mom to the doorway as she brought the broken vase up to strike. Screaming at her, but with full authority in his voice, Devon ordered, "RAMA, NO! STOP!"

Rama's hand held the vase in an almost completed strike. She barely caressed Cassie's throat with the ceramic's broken edges. A thin trickle of blood oozed out from the small cut the vase had made, forcing the woman to wince from pain and anticipation.

Then, with eyes blazing with murderous hate, Rama briefly hesitated for one moment. As if responding to his please, she turned back to look at Devon – and sneered.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS_**

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ As you can tell by this chapter, you were right about whom Cassie resembles. Unfortunately, Rama is very troubled to see someone who looks so like Shay it has been quite a shock to her system, and unfortunately doesn't wait for answers. As to Leo being mean, he is only trying to help his student. Rama herself knows that even the Leo of her world does things for a reason. Sensei's challenge their students to get them to shine. Thanks for the review._

**_Pretender_**_: I think you had Reinbeauchaser and I both a little confused with your review, as neither of us really knew what you meant by the one who attacked Raph. Were you perhaps referring to the people who attacked Raph in Carmel and beat him up in YTD? Or something else? That is okay a little confusion is a good thing, it is a lot of confusion I can't handle. Thanks for the review greatly appreciated._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, you guessed! Well, those who have experienced traumatic situations usually end up with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Sometimes, they can go through life seemingly adjusted and successfully overcoming whatever it was that assaulted them. However, there are times when certain situations will be memory triggers. Not having seen Shay since she was seven years old, Rama had probably forgotten all about what she looked like. What Gabby thought, about the possibility of duplicates of Rama's life in this world, could explain why Rama reacted the way she did. Yes, it may seem odd that we have Cassie looking like Shay – but then it makes for an interesting confrontation – and we were long overdue with something like that! This is, after all, a 'reflected reality' with subtle, if not profound, differences. :0) Also, Leo can only be the sensei he is if he's willing to challenge his student's and their fears. Remember Gabby and her fear of the dark? Yeah, something like that! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: I'm a little confused…we never mentioned Raph's attacker at all in this story, other than as a history lesson. Interesting that you would assume that here. :0) Either way, there was one other comment you made, about a particular scene in 31 that you never would have thought of. I can't figure out what that scene would be. Hmm…anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, nonetheless. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	33. Haunted Past

_DISCLAIMER: No own Turtles. No own Ninjas. No own teenagers ( they're already adults…oops, sorry, that would be Reinbeauchaser's kids. LOL). No own Fan Fiction. Do own ideas set forth in this story, shared with Ramica. Do own Gabby and Mindy. Ramica owns Ramiela/Rama. Enough said._

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CHAPTER 33 – Haunted Past

Rama stood poised, ready to slice Cassandra's throat when Devon broke through to her.

"RAMA, PLEASE STOP!" he yelled, fear coming through his words. If Rama was to follow through with her action, Devon knew what the clan would demand. Consequently, his fear was as much for Rama as it was for Gabby's mom. Pleading with her, he continued forcibly, "Cassie is GABBY'S mom, NOT yours!" he insisted firmly. Though he did not understand the relationship between the two, it was obvious his sister did. Just by what he overheard Gabby say to Seth and what Devon could sense from Rama, it was obvious the kunoichi believed Cassie to be her mother. Whatever was going on, it was apparent that Rama's mind was set. He locked eyes with hers as she turned hers towards him. However, the moment he did, he was taken aback. The expression on her face seemed distorted as if a sudden psychological change had taken over.

Rama stared back at him, recognizing Devon yet appearing not to hear him. His eyes grew wide as he realized where she was in her ninjitsu – and it terrified him.

"Please, don't do this, Rama," he pleaded slowly, desperately, "You need to put – the vase – down. You'll regret it, I swear you will," he continued, allowing some worry in his voice. He held his breath for what seemed like an eternity. He could tell that everyone else in the store had done the same thing, everyone except for Gabby.

Fighting back her fear and her anger, Seth's wife stood up with a sniffling Mindy firmly entrenched in her arms. Resolved not to back down, no matter what, Gabby knew she had to find some courage deep within her to try and get through to Rama. Either that or possibly lose her mother. That was something Gabby did not want to face, especially where she had just learned about Cassie's relationship to her only a few years back. She realized that she was probably the only one in the room who was aware of why Rama hated her own mother. Yet, why seeing Cassandra had caused such a reaction in Ramiela was a mystery. Could it be that her mother and the kunoichi's were one in the same, only the two worlds separating their differences? It seemed so far fetched. Still, considering the reflected reality of this world to Rama's own, maybe it was possible after all.

Finding her voice, Gabby pleaded calmly, "Rama, Cassie is my mother and Mindy's grandmother. Though you may see her differently, she is NOT your enemy." She waited for Rama to look her way. When she did, Gabby stepped forward, careful to avoid the mess on the floor and especially the glass.

Rama warily watched Gabby's slow cautious moves, wondering if the young mother would try to physically stop her. She sneered just a little and somewhat contemptuously at the thought, for she knew that Gabby was not well trained in the arts. She was quite aware that motherhood and her pregnancy took up most of her time.

Gabby was fully aware of the dangerous situation at hand and the last thing she wanted was to send the kunoichi over the edge. As it was, Rama seemed already teetering far too close to the edge anyway. "I can tell that you think Cassie's your mother, but she's not. Maybe she looks like her?" Again, Gabby waited for a response. Rama blinked once, then twice, and for a second the rage that tried to consume her earlier cooled down just a bit. The almost manic light in her eyes dimmed for just a moment.

Cassandra stirred a little, trying to breath. With Rama's grip so tight around her throat, she was finding it difficult. The moment she moved, however, Rama snapped her head back around to face her, the rage coming to the fore once again, the broken vase poised. Cassie looked into the girl's face with as calm an appearance as she could make, though it was trying at best. She swallowed, attempting to force air into her windpipe. She was able to grab some and felt a pleasant bit of relief in her lungs. Still, the hand that clasped around her throat restricted her from taking in any more.

"Rama, please, you need to back off." Gabby begged. Her voice remained soft, however, conveying trust and a peaceful calm, "Shay cannot hurt you here. She's dead, remember? This world is different from yours; many things are different even though they may look the same, right?" Gabby was slowly working her way towards the kunoichi, mindful that if she made any wrong move or say a wrong word, it might mean the death of her mother. The only thing she was willing to take as a hopeful sign was that, at least for the moment, Ramiela seemed to be waiting and listening to her. Fortunately, Mindy remained quiet and cooperative in her arms.

Leo slowly stood up, his eyes on Rama but his attention on his daughter-in-law. That was when Gabby handed Mindy over to him. The child gladly grabbed onto her grandfather, burying her face into his neck as he swiftly took the child away. Gabby's eyes never left the kunoichi's, though, as the other watched the toddler. Rama could see a faint red line of blood run down the child's arm, as if an errant shard of glass had cut her. She furrowed her eye ridges a bit and dully wondered how the girl became hurt.

Leo quickly made for the front door of the shop to get the baby as far from the epicenter of destruction as he could. Raph and Mike met him there, all three huddling together as they talked strategy, shielding Mindy from the spectacle at the back of the store. The child whimpered a little, but after some gentle coaxing from Leo, she quieted down.

Gabby kept the dialog going, "Ramiela, my mother is a shopkeeper, she's a good woman, a mother, a grandmother, and she would never harm you or anyone." Though this was mostly the truth, now was not the time to tell Rama about Cassandra's past. If Rama found out now that Cassandra had been a foot soldier she would surely kill her for the enemy the girl all ready perceived her to be. Gabby quickly forced those thoughts far back in her mind, not even wanting Rama, in her hyper vigilant state, to sense the truth. "She makes tea and scones and sings, like I do. You like to sing, don't you?" Gabby inquired hoping she was correct, for she had never heard Rama sing until today. "The scones I've fixed for you, my mother…" Gabby nodded towards the woman held prisoner on the floor, "taught me. You did like them, didn't you?" She never allowed her eyes to leave Rama, maintaining her lock on the kunoichi's gaze.

Ramiela blinked again and the rage cooled down once more. She remembered the scones; yes, they were good, Rama remembered that they were quite good, in fact. Gabby even mentioned at that time about how her mother had taught her - her mother, Cassandra – SHAY! Rama whipped her head back around and looked down at the woman, her eyes penetrating and hard. She turned the vase around in her hand and looked at its lethal jagged edges. Rama brought the vase back to the woman's throat. Glaring at Cassie and tilting her head, the kunoichi asked, "Shay?"

Cassandra gently shook her head and mouthed the word, "No."

Rama was quite confused. This woman looked exactly like her mother, the mother whom Rama's Uncle Raphael killed, executed so that she would never again harm anyone in the clan.Though it was years later before she was told the nature about Shay's demise, Rama could remember her father explaining to her at the time how Shay could never come back again. She was gone forever because Rama's Uncle Raphael had loved the young kunoichi so much he had seen to it that Shay would never return. Rama recalled hugging her uncle and telling him how much she had loved him for doing that for her. Though Mike and the other turtles in this world had subtle differences about them, they were in every way just like her family back home. Consequently, it was quite confusing to be told that Cassie wasn't the same as her mother. Even the way this world's Professor Perry was, based on what Gabby shared, had mirrored the Professor Perry of her world. This only added to her confused state how this woman, this Cassie who was held hostage under her, could not be a threat? Surely Shay's twin had to be much like Shay herself - evil and untrustworthy.

Devon had quietly crept up to Rama, yet he didn't want to startle her. He gently wanted to talk her into handing him the vase, thereby giving Cassandra a chance to escape. The way Rama held it, however, the woman wouldn't know what hit her if she tried to get away before that could happen. "Rama, sweetheart, maybe Cassandra could bake you some of those scones, eh?"

Rama turned towards him and narrowed her eyes, growling out, "Don't patronize me, Devon, it doesn't suit you.Besides I hate being patronized" She was finally coming back around, yet it was obvious she wasn't ready to give up the vase. She still wasn't confident enough about the situation to feel safe about relinquishing her weapon. Rama knew all too well how tricky and how dangerous Shay was. In some small way Rama was almost pleased to have the tables turned and to have Shay finally at her mercy. Turning back to Cassandra, she asked her, an edge to her voice, "Why did you recognize the name Shay? I know you recognized it so don't lie about it. If I even think you are lying to me you'll regret it," She waited, never once removing the sharp end of the vase away from the woman's throat.

Cassie glanced down at Rama's hand that was clutching her, indicating that she couldn't talk while in such a grasp. Rama sneered once, warning her, "If I let you go you better stay put…otherwise…"

Cassie nodded, understanding full well what the girl implied. As Rama released her hold, the woman relaxed just a little, sucking in a lung full of air. She then breathed out a sigh of relief before carefully answering, "I did _not_ recognize the name, but I sensed my assumed relationship to you within that name. The way you said it, your anger and – fear. I don't know why you hate your mother so much, but I assure you, I am not like her."

"That's for me to decide," Rama grounded out, now relaxing the position of the vase held against Cassie's throat. She noticed the thin stream of blood had abated somewhat, the blood coagulating enough to impede the bleeding. Yet, she was wary. As she studied the woman's face, Rama thought about how tricky Shay could be and the lies she was capable of telling. Rama knew from her own experience how her mother could twist the truth in such a way that one could easily believe her. It was part of what made her so dangerous. However, despite her trepidation and personal demons, Rama's ninja senses told her that this woman was being sincere.

"Rama, please let me have the vase." Gabby requested, breaking through the girl's thoughts once more. She was now standing right next to the kunoichi, her hand outstretched as if anticipating cooperation. She held her breath and hoped that she would indeed do just that. _"If I act as if she'll give it to me, maybe she will" _Gabby encouraged herself.

Rama looked up at her and saw – disappointment in her face. Fear was there, too, as well as anger.Only then did Rama dimly become aware of the talk they had that morning, of Gabby's hesitancies about Mindy's training and how Rama had told her about a mother who was anything but protective. Rama barely recalled her words to Gabby 'Sometimes you wonder if things had been different, then taking that life wouldn't have been necessary.'

Rama knew that this was a different place, a different world; perhaps she was in the wrong. The kunoichi blinked a few more times, looking back at Cassie, then at the vase in her hands, and finally to Gabby again. Slowly, Rama handed the broken container over to Seth's wife, reluctantly relinquishing her weapon. She looked back at Cassandra, her hate melting away, only to be replaced with confusion anduncertainty. She then offered, her voice small and now soft with contriteness, "I thought for sure – you were her; that even - if this was a different world than mine, that you – Shay – would be the same." Rama furrowed her eye ridges as if just realizing what she had just tried to do. She thought about her real mother, the one who was deceitful and calculating, the one whom she thought Cassandra was.

All of Rama's memories of her mother came flooding back to her, overwhelming her with a force that caused her to tremble. She recalled her mother taking her topside for the first time at the age of four. She recalled Shay telling her how her daddy didn't love her anymore because she had been bad. She remembered that part well, how she had been in a rotten mood all day, creating havoc for everyone. Shay took advantage of it, telling the lie that she couldn't be a ninja because of it, so her daddy had given her away instead. Even after her dad had rescued her, Rama was plagued by nightmares for months. To make matters worse, she battled the insecure feeling for months that her dad still didn't want her, all because of what Shay had said to her.

Yet that wasn't the only trauma Shay had inflicted upon the girl. Four years later, when Rama was seven and a half, Shay kidnapped her a second time. Tying her up in a hotel room to keep her from running away, her mother promised to make her part of 'her' family. With Shay's boyfriend partnering with her, she even told Rama that "Randy will be your new daddy." However, whenever Shay would mention Mike's name, Rama could easily detect the hatred her mother's voice. It affected her deeply. However, things became much worse when Shay's friend, Candy, came to visit. Rama recalled the fear she felt when her mother showed her off. She would never forget the words she used when she boasted to her friend, "This critter will make Randy and my dreams come true in Las Vegas, but we need to keep her quiet." What hurt the most was being compared to an animal rather than being called her daughter. Then, with Candy supplying the means, Rama remembered being injected with a drug. The drug not only kept her quiet, but it kept her unconscious for five days and almost ended up killing her. Between that, being tied down, and then gagged to keep her from yelling, that last experience left her with even more nightmares to deal with. Yet, the strongest memory Rama had about both instances was in wanting her dad to come rescue her.

It took her a long time to get over that trauma. In fact, it seemed she was still trying to 'get over' it.

Yes she hated Shay, with her whole being she hated her mother. However, Rama was slowly realizing that this woman, Cassandra, wasn't Shay. In only a moment of time, she saw how nice Cassie had been, even with the threat of death at her throat. As Rama thought about it, the woman was even calm during the crisis. Based on everything the others had told her about Gabby's mom, Rama was beginning to see how true that was. Cassie was a trusted friend of this clan. Not just a friend but also a member of the clan because she was Gabby's mom and Mindy's grandmother.

As the reality of her mental state began to sink in, Rama tried to recall what exactly had happened. When Rama had first laid eyes on this Cassandra, she only saw Shay. Although her hair color was different and she seemed older too, her facial features and even her voice were the same as her mother in her own world. Yet, it was obvious that Cassie was older than Shay would have been. With Shay just fourteen when she had Rama, that would make her thirty-two now - had she lived. The more Ramiela thought about it, the more it began to dawn on her how wrong she was to even think that this Cassandra could be Shay! She should have hesitated, maybe asked a few questions, put her fear in check rather than react the way she did. Then, in a moment, she recalled the utter chaos and damage to the store around her and Rama knew that she had caused it. Yet, she wasn't quite sure how. Was her hatred for her mother so deeply ingrained that it would cause her to react so violently? Rama knew that, contrary to her Sensei's constant reminders, she had reacted, again, rather that acted.

Suddenly as if a dam had been released, Rama broke down. She fell back against the opposite door frame from where Cassie lay, crying into her arms as she tried to look away from the others in the shop. She was mortified and horribly shamed. _"What did I just try to do; kill Gabby's mom? What kind of kunoichi would do that, anyway?"_she thought bitterly to herself. _"All of my life I've been taught to protect those who were innocent. Now in my hatred I almost killed someone who didn't deserve it." _She bawled. Nearly hysterical, she continued to lament to herself, _"I have lost so much honor today that there may not be any way I could ever restore it."_ Rama's regret and sorrow over what she had done to Cassie's shop deepened even more.

Cassie wanted to move away from the girl and get to safety, but the depth of despair emanating through Rama's sobs affected her. Gingerly and, yet tenderly, she leaned towards her and placed a comforting hand on Rama's right shoulder. Then her other hand went to Rama's left. Devon was there in an instant, but not before Cassie had pulled Rama towards her in an embrace. Unable to resist, where she was limp from crying, Rama practically fell into the woman's arms. She continued to sob openly, crying against Cassie's shoulder while the woman lovingly caressed the girl's head.

Devon crouched down and ran his hands along Rama's long, brown hair in a comforting gesture. He looked behind him at Gabby and found that she had already deposited the vase in the trash and was heading towards the front door to retrieve her daughter. She never looked back as she and Seth made for Mindy. From Devon's perspective, his sister seemed more than a little upset by everything. Judging by the way she walked, determined and sure, he knew that Leo was going to be having an up-hill battle once again to convince her to have Mindy trained. Taking the child from Leo, Gabby and Seth then headed for the door. Mike helped the family out of the shop, closing the door quickly behind them. Before he did, though, he whispered to Leo, "Get them all out of here before the cops come. I'll bring the suburban up to the door. Make it quick."

Leo then advanced carefully towards Rama. As he reached her, he stooped down and firmly extracted her from Cassie's arms. The girl had stopped crying and was now wiping her face dry. Soon, she was handed over to Devon, who steered her back towards the front door, careful to avoid the broken glass and various shattered objects destroyed in the melee. Raph watched the young warrior as she was led out, scowling disapprovingly in her wake. Then, he placed himself between her and Gabby's mom and stood guard while he observed Devon walk Rama out the door. Soon, the black SUV pulled up and welcomed them inside.

"Mike has the car already here, bro." Raph announced to Leo.

Leo nodded as he helped Cassandra back up to a stand. "Are you all right?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I think so. Banged my head a bit, but other than a slight headache and a need for a bandage, I'll be fine." She felt her throat a little and looked at him, seeing great concern on his face, "What was that all about, anyway?"

Leo shook his head, "I don't know, but I think Gabby does. We're going to be debriefing her later and probably Rama, as well. I'm very sorry about this, Cassie. I didn't have any idea that you, ah, that Rama would do this." Leo scowled slightly, "The only thing she's ever told me regarding her birth mom was that the mother left shortly after she was born. Yet, I knew even then that there was something more that Rama hadn't told me." Leo regretted the fact of not probing his student further on the matter but at the time, there hadn't seemed to be a need to do so.

"Well, how could you? I don't think she brought any pictures of her family with her when she came to you." Cassie smiled wanly, "Who would have thought I'd be her mother's twin. At least I still have my head!" She chuckled a little and then added as she tried to ease the turtle's concerns, "Leo, I've been through a whole lot worse, but I have to say, I was a bit worried there for a moment.For the record, if you do find out why she hates her mother, I would like to know."

"Trust me," Leo assured, "I intend on finding out as soon as possible." He looked over at all the damage that Rama had done and commented to Cassie, "Guess you'll have some explaining to do if the police show up."

"Ah, they'll show alright, if I know my neighbors like I do. You better get going, though." Cassie exclaimed. She straightened her dress a bit and then headed into the main body of the shop. "Good Lord, she really made a mess." Standing there with her hand on her hips, Cassie surveyed the disaster. "Maybe once Rama gets over the fact that I'm NOT her mother, maybe she can help clean this up." She looked back at Leo and smiled.

"Oh, I think for the next few days, Rama's going to be a bit busy and somewhat out of communication with the rest of the world as she knows it." Leo replied grimly.

Raph looked at the mess and shook his head, "How're you going to explain all of this to the police?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Cassie gazed around and then looked straight at Leo and Raph. She then reached behind the counter and pulled out a flyswatter, smiling, "I'll just tell them a bee came to visit - and I missed."

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_RAMICA'S COMMENTS: _

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**_Lady Christian Knight_**_- Well now you know what is going happen to some extent as there will still be some repercussions for Rama to face and for those you will have to keep reading. Must have really been into it to become dizzy. getting into a story is good getting dizzy isn't. Thanks for the review._

**_Katie:_**_ Hope the shakes have died down enough that you are now ready for more. Thanks for the review._

**_Gemdrive 2000_**_: Only a few repercussions?__ I think there could be more than that. Rama unfortunatley went too far off the deep end. Hope this update was quick enough for you. Thanks for the review._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Always go with your first instincts. It wasn't really planned until we started doing this story and some things have just been tossing ideas back and forth between one another, this was something we thought might make the story more interesting. Thanks for the review._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Begging sometimes helps, sometimes not. In this instance it worked. You are very correct that rama should not kill her mom's twin. A fact rama is coming to realize. Keeping fans hooked and reading is what we want. Thanks for the review._

**_Pretender_**_: Thanks for clearing that up. By now you might have some of your answers for the rest you might have to keep reading. As for the action and surprise hold on this story isn't done yet. A gratitude for your insight ( Sorry tired of thanks for the review)._

**_Vestequex_**_: Gore?__ I didn't put gore into the chapter. Did Reinbeauchaser ( checks chapter) hmmm, nope don't think so there is action there is some blood yes. Gore? How and where did that come in? Oh well glad you liked your chapter. We are grateful for the inspiration your review gave us. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_VESTQUEX_**_: Okay – action.__ Sorry – no gore, not even one names Al. :0) But, action none the less. Hopefully this will satisfy you for a while. If we had action on every page, it would become boring. This way, it's even more exciting! Thanks, again, for your wonderful creativity with reviews and that inspiration for Chapter 32. More to come – one way or the other! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: All kinds of questions and anxiety for you.__ Sorry about that – NOT! :0) Glad you enjoyed the chapter. It was fun to write ( but, please keep a lid on that, will ya? I don't want another 'visit', if you know what I mean?). Anyways, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, killing Cassie would not serve any purpose at all and it would ruin future fics. So, don't worry. Rama has too many other adventures to go on to have her future ruined in this story, so rest assured, everyone will be all right…or, maybe not. We're just trying to be as mean as we can with all of this. So, anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEING FAE_**_: You might be right about Gabby and Min's training – what a wicked row we've hoed, eh? Just the same, it does make for fun story-telling! Bwahaha! Actually, it's just coincidence that Shay and Cassandra have the same first names. Yet, it does lend itself to that 'fun story-telling' I mentioned a moment ago! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Yeah, lots of things to worry about. Little bits of information, maybe hints, maybe not…either way, it was a fun if not exhausting chapter to write. I quite agree with you about Rama. Like her favorite uncle, never get on her bad side! She learned well from Raphael! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_KATIE_**_: I don't think I've ever seen a review from you before now. Hi! :0) Thanks for taking the time in reading our little story…little, of course, having nothing to do with the length of it. LOL The next time you sit down to read any of our work, please eat something first! That way you won't shake as much! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_Lady-Christian-Knight-88_**_: Wow, where have you been? I've been on AIM but I guess you've been busy, eh? Either way, it was easy to figure out Shay, I guess; so many did. Yes, I have experienced that 'dizzy' feeling with some stories. Of course, I hadn't eaten yet that day, so once I had food in me, I was fine. Drinking lots of water every day helps, too! Yeah, Vest's review did go a bit over the top, didn't it? Which is why we used it in chapter 32. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	34. Confrontations

DISCLAIMER: Ramica and I do not own anything TMNT related, other than the story idea. The rest you know. R&R

Chapter 34- Confrontations

Rama sat rigid against the seat, practically unaware of the others who were in the car with her. Somewhere between shock and disgust, she tried desperately to make sense of what had transpired back at Cassie's shop. Aside from the damage she had inflicted upon the woman and her store, the one thing that bothered Ramiela the most was how she could even think to do something like that.

She now knew why her Sensei at home had warned her against using the 'blood-rage' level of ninjitsu. It was a dangerous element to the martial arts, an element that completely overwhelmed her at Cassandra's. If there was one thing she now understood, it was this fact - she did not want anything more to do with it. In hindsight, her rage had so consumed her, that she did not see the danger. Most alarming of all was she did not know how to control or even stop it. Rama knew what it was like to 'go ninja'; she understood the psychological aspects of that skill. Even with the speed and accuracy that it gave her, she was always mindful of where she was both mentally as well as emotionally. She had learned long ago to think through her actions while she was implementing them. Yet, the level of fighting she experienced at Cassie's, her thirst for blood and the desire to kill, had completely taken her by surprise. All reasoning had vanished like a fog, replacing it with a lust that went beyond common sense. Just thinking about it frightened her as she sat in the car, morally deflated.

Rama looked down at her lap where she had her hands clasped together. She sat between Leo and Devon as she contemplated her previous actions. She noted that Mindy was unusually quiet as the child sat behind her in the baby seat. The toddler sniffed once or twice, but otherwise remained mute. The young girl was normally quite chatty, but now she seemed afraid to utter even a sound. Upon entering the car back in Carmel, Rama had noticed a small bandage on the child's arm. It was an obvious testament to the minor cut the toddler sustained in the melee – all because of the kunoichi's actions. That had affected Ramiela most of all. She remembered quite clearly her intent to protect Mindy, to keep her from harm, yet in the end it was she herself who had injured the child. Rama felt just awful, worse than she had ever felt in her entire life.

At the same time, while Rama slipped back into the SUV, she caught the icy cold stare that Gabby offered her - and it stung deeply. Rama realized that Seth's wife had been greatly offended. Seth was harder to read, however. He momentarily caught the kunoichi's gaze, but then looked away, busying himself with comforting his wife and daughter. His deliberate attempt to ignore Rama had affected her as well. Raphael, however, did not ignore her, but studied the girl intently. It caused her to duck her head in shame as she took her seat. When she chanced a look back at him, what she saw next was - sympathy! That surprised her quite a bit, but then where she understood her own Uncle Raphael, Raph out of all of them probably knew what she had just experienced. Mike, though, kept his expressions flat and completely unreadable, as did Leo. In fact, Rama's sensei had gone immediately into meditation the moment the car moved onto the main highway.

He was still meditating some twenty minutes later. Rama could tell it was not a normal type of meditation, either. More to the point, he seemed to be trying to discern her. She felt the softest of touches on her mind, gentle yet probing. Despite the obvious intrusion, she made a point to let him. At the very least, he would know by her submission how chastised and repentant she truly felt.

Still, everyone's reaction towards her made her very uneasy, all because of her blatant disregard to their interventions at Cassie's.

As Rama rode along, her thoughts went back to her mother. She hadn't thought about Shay in years – and it disturbed her quite a bit. The girl had never realized how much her mom had affected her. After all, it had been a long time, certainly enough time for the girl to recover. With Shay now gone forever, she was no longer a threat. Other than a few bad memories and of rarely speaking about her, Rama never considered it important to let others know how she felt regarding her. It was a moot point, anyway, and no longer a viable problem – or so Rama thought. Yet, as it turned out, the problem was still there and Cassandra was the one who had triggered it. Rama sighed, recalling Shay's true name and then she shook her head wryly in sad realization. Shay's given name had been Cassandra, too, Cassandra Stephens in fact. 'Shay' had only been a street name for the young run-away and a name by which Ramiela's family knew her. Even though the kunoichi was well aware of her mother's true name, the other moniker was what she was familiar with. Yet, never in her wildest dreams or fears did Rama ever think that Gabby's mom and her own would be twins. It seemed to Rama that her world and the one she was in had too many similarities, with duplicates of just about everyone she loved - or hated. Of course, her aunts were not part of this clan – yet. Still, it was possible that this particular timeline had diverted in some way, preventing them from crossing paths with Gabby's family. Was there another Karena, Sarah, or Jen out there in this world or even another Cathy? What would it matter if there were since they probably had their own families anyway? Where Rama was starting to adjust to this world, in one moment it all became confusing once again.

As Mike finally turned the car onto the private road, Rama continued to think about her behavior from earlier. How she acted was not how Sensei had trained her. Rama was quite aware that ninja were supposed to be in complete control of their actions, always projecting said actions before making them and knowing the outcome ahead of time. Repeatedly, Sensei had impressed upon her that one could not govern others until one governed themselves and their own reactions.

As a future jonin, she should have known better.

Ramiela knew that she would be disciplined, that was a given. What she was sensing from the senior members of the clan sitting in the car said as much. She shuddered slightly. She suddenly realized that if Gabby had not stopped her, she knew what that punishment most likely would be. Normally within a ninja family, ritual suicide was expected from the one who had lost honor. However, her clan did not require seppuku as they felt that any crime was not worth a life to restore one's self respect. Since there were so few of them anyway, demanding it would only hurt the clan. However, she did not know how this family viewed such situations.

As she thought about her lost honor, Rama briefly recalled one of the assignments her dad had written down for her years ago regarding that. As part of her training, she had to know and understand how a ninja went about restoring the honor that they had lost. In her clan, it was required of them to find a way to bring it back to the family, to prove that he, or she, had honor once again. Even her Uncle Raphael had lost honor with his wife, Sara, when he did his best to discourage Cathy from staying in the lair. As his punishment, he was exiled from the bedroom he shared with Rama's aunt until he could find enough nice things to say about the woman scientist he thought was a threat. Where Rama's father was showing romantic interests in Cathy, both the kunoichi and her uncle went out of their way to discourage such a thing. In the end, after finding nice things to say about her future step-mother, Rama's Uncle Raphael was reinstated back into his and Sara's bedroom. It was a very humbling experience for him, but one that Rama never forgot, either! Yet, thinking about that and what she had done at the Musical Note, Rama was at a loss how she could make up for her violent transgressions. In her heart, all she knew was whatever her sensei in this world demanded, she would do. Perhaps he could also help her learn to manage this level of fighting so it would never control her again. Nevertheless, she could not refute the fact that hounded her. As often as her sensei had preached to her about acting rather than reacting, the assault she inflicted upon Cassie and her shop had to be a worse case scenario.

Sighing woefully and with a trembling breath, Rama closed her eyes against the guilt that now assaulted her.

Devon sat beside Rama and sensed by her expression and emotions alone that she was in shock. He could discern quite easily her deep regret and repentance, with just a bit of concern edging through. He had placed his uninjured right arm around her shoulders. A piece of torn blanket was lightly wrapped around his left to stem the bleeding, acting like a make-shift bandage. The bleeding had finally stopped but Devon's arm was still quite sore. However, he was more focused on Ramiela for the moment. More than anything, he wanted to ask what it was Rama's mother had done to her. Given the amount of rage she exhibited earlier, something terrible must have happened. Yet, he knew he would learn about it soon enough. As it was, judging from Rama's reaction to Cassandra, Devon quickly decided that now might not be the best time to ask her.

Sensing his care and concern, Rama leaned her head against his shoulder, comforted by his embrace and appreciating his silence. She knew he was probably wondering about a great many things, yet he kept his questions to himself. For that, she was grateful.

As the car pulled up to the mansion, Rama gulped just a little. She could feel a subtle shift in Leo's attitude. She had noted his meditation while they were heading back home, but now it was as if he had just snapped awake – and his mood was not good.

She braced herself.

Once Mike had parked the car into the garage, Rama expected the others to exit right away, but they did not. They just sat there. The noiseless interior of the car was nearly deafening, almost like the calm before a storm or the eye of a hurricane. Even Mindy seemed to understand the gravity of the situation for she hunkered down in her car seat. Finally, after what seemed like a silent eternity, Ramiela noticed out of the corner of her eye Devon's slight nod. He then noiselessly opened the door on his side and slipped out in one fluid motion. Rama hadn't even sensed a word of silent communication from any of the ninja in the car and it unnerved her a great deal. "How could I have missed that?" she silently asked herself, not at all pleased with her remiss. It subtly occurred to her that maybe their ability to communicate without words might be greater than her own family back home. She moaned to herself, _"If that's true, then I need to pay more attention from now on!" _

Then, shooting a stern look at her, Leo sharply ordered her, "Ramiela, get into the dojo and stay there until I can debrief you." The tone of his voice had suddenly changed. No longer was it the voice of understanding and patience, no longer was it full of warmth and kindness. Now it was bold, clipping each word with razor sharp precision. His whole countenance was one of disappointed authority.

Discipline was going to be strict; it was the one bit of silent communication that did not get by her.

Rama eased her way out of the car and, without a word, bowed low before the cars occupants. Turning briskly on her heels and just short of running, she hastened into the house immediately.

Once she was well inside the home and out of earshot, Devon returned to the car. Leo then looked back to Gabby. He noticed she returned his glance with a steely gaze. It did not take a fool to know that whatever ground they had made with her regarding Mindy's training Rama had virtually and completely undid that effort.

"You may exit, as well, Gabby. Why don't you take Mindy back to the house; she seems ready for a nap." Mindy was now yawning a little and rubbing her eyes the way most toddlers did when they were tired. She began to suck her thumb, which was a sure sign above all others that she was probably ready for a nap.

"Seems some of us are ready for a great many things, but of one thing I know for sure…" Gabby began testily, "Whatever you think you may have planned for my daughter, you've lost your bargaining chip!" and with that, she dutifully grabbed up Mindy.

Leo sighed, shaking his head at the stubbornness of Raphael's daughter. He encouraged, "What went on at your mother's shop was not normal, Gabby. Be assured…" However, he was cut off.

"Be assured?" Gabby spat, "Be assured of what? That my daughter won't know how to do that? For cry'n out loud, Leo, Rama's a trained kunoichi, a future leader of her clan back home. If a trained and seasoned warrior like her can lose control like that and use what she knows to do that kind of damage to my mother's shop – you can be assured of _ONE_ thing; my daughter will- not- learn – _HOW_ to!" She glared defiantly at her father-in-law, setting her chin in stubborn determination and sniffing indignantly.

Then, with her daughter firm in her embrace, Gabby eased out of the SUV.

Seth tried to pacify her as he helped her out of the back of the suburban, "There is probably a good reason why Rama behaved the way she did, Gabs." He pleaded.

"Really?" she replied sarcastically, offering a scathing look at him, fully aware of Leo's growing irritation, "I'm sure 'good reasons' could account for a lot of things, Seth. Yet I'm quite sure my mother's insurance company will care a great deal how her shop became trashed. Because of Rama, my mother lost her revenue and quite possibly her business." She then snidely remarked, "All due to…" and she looked square at her father-in-law and seethed, "…_ninjitsu_!"

With that, she adjusted Mindy in her arms and took off in a huff for the smaller home in back, her pace quick and deliberate.

As he watched her go, Mike could only shake his head in frustration, muttering. "Well, looks like we're back to square one."

Raph could only comment, sighing, "You don't have to convince me of that."

Then, once Seth re-entered the car, Leo began to discuss their course of action regarding Rama.

……………

Rahab was quite shocked when she saw her husband and Devon walk in. Noticing that they looked as if they had just finished an impromptu sortie, she stared wide-eyed and quite concerned. "I noticed that Rama came in before you, but she didn't look anything like you do; what happened?" she asked as Mike trudged up the stairs with Devon trailing behind them. She quickly caught up with him, determined to find out.

"Sorry, sweetheart, clan business." Mike replied uneasily as he gently waved her off.

"Clan business? What in blazes does THAT mean." His wife asked testily. "First, Rama practically barrels through me to get to the dojo, nearly in tears, and now you and Devon come waltzing in here cut up and bloodied. Do the others look as 'good' as you do?"

Mike remained mute as the three of them climbed the stairs.

Unable to tolerate the silent reaction of her husband anymore, Rahab yelled as she grabbed the top part of his carapace to stop him, "What the hell happened, Mike?"

They halted half way up to the second level and gently. Mike explained, his voice strained, "Rama went nuts, okay?" He looked at his wife's surprised reaction and then softened, "Seems Cassie is the spitting image of her mother and, let's just say that _Mommy Dearest_ best describes _that_ relationship!"

Rahab brought her hand up to her mouth in surprise, her eyes slightly wide, "Does she look _exactly_ like her?" she asked.

Devon nodded his head, "I guess so. Rama's reaction seemed to say as much!"

Taking his wife by the elbow and gently guiding her up the last set of steps, Mike commented, "We're going to be counselling with her in a few, once we're cleaned up. Leo and Raph went on to Seth's place to find out what the problem is." He looked out the expansive second story window that overlooked the backyard, offering a view of the smaller home just east of the garden area. He saw Leo and Raph as they approached the cottage house, disappearing as they slipped in through the front door. Mike then continued as he resumed his attention on his wife, "Seems Gabby knows a bit more than the rest of us do. We're hoping that she will get Mindy down for a nap before we talk with her."

Rahab's eyes widened even more at the mention of her granddaughter. She asked in a worried and nearly strangled whisper, "Did Mindy see any of this, Mike?"

Mike never answered her but continued up over the last step, guiding his wife further along the open hallway towards their bedroom. As soon as Devon reached his, he ducked into to clean up his wounds up as well. Rahab knew with Mike's silent response what the answer was to her concerns. She leaned into her husband for support, his arm wrapping around her waist as she softly cried.

………….

Once Leo and Raph had cleaned up and tended to their wounds, they both went into the living room where Gabby and Seth were sitting. For thirty minutes, try as she could Gabby just could not get Mindy to take a nap. The child was still on edge despite her yawns and eye rubbings. They were currently playing with her and helping the toddler to relax from the recent upset.

As he took a seat across from them, Leo asked, "Gabby, what did Ramiela tell you about her mother? She obviously told you something we weren't privy to." About then, Mike walked into the smaller home, explaining, "Dev is still trying to get the glass out of his arm. He'll meet up with us later". He then sat down next to Leo and Raph, rubbing his face tiredly.

Gabby sighed, "Right before we left for town, Ramiela told me about her mother. She told me some unsavoury things about her and said that she was one of those people her clan felt was better off 'dead than alive'." Gabby could not hide the disgust in her voice at that thought. It came through quite vividly, in fact.

Raph shot a look at Leo, one eye ridge cocked up curiously. Leo reacted with a subtle raise of his own and asked Gabby, "What did she do to Rama's clan, did she tell you?"

Gabby nodded and then answered softly, her eyes lowered, "Her mother's name was Shay and I guess she had tried on a couple of occasions to kidnap Rama. I guess she wanted her back, I don't know for sure." Gabby shrugged and looked up at the three older turtles, "I don't know why she wasn't part of the family, but it seems, on her second kidnapping attempt, she had plans to exploit Rama in Las Vegas to make money. She ended up drugging her to keep her under control. I don't know how old Rama was at the time, but she was obviously old enough to remember the incident." Locking eyes with her father, she continued, albeit rather soberly, "The clan decided after the Las Vegas incident, that she had to be _executed_ and that her Uncle Raphael carried out the sentence." Gabby looked hard at her own father. She noted quite easily Leo stiffen every so slightly and Mike looking down at his hands. She shuddered, yet stated softly and casually, "Evidently, Rama's Uncle Raphael is the clan executioner." Her gaze was steady, yet pleading as she assessed her father's reaction. Gabby was hoping against hope that this was only true in Rama's world and that her own father here in this one was incapable of such an act. As she saw the slightest flicker of recognition in his eyes, the young woman had her answer. Swallowing, she then snapped herself back to the present situation, turning on the one who was handling the inquiry, "Leo, I don't care what you say I am _not_ going to allow Mindy to be trained. She is too young to be turned to kill."

Leo rubbed his temples and sighed; he knew this would be the fallout. Then, looking at her, he said with determination, "You know quite well that _ninja_ are more than trained killers." He bristled inwardly just a little, becoming rather annoyed at his son's wife for her persistence on this issue. If anything, she was starting to remind him of the way Raph used to be years ago. Yet, if Gabby continued within her position, Leo was afraid he would have to initiate his authority on the matter and he truly did not want it to come down to that. It would be hard on everyone if it did, but none more than on Mindy.

"Ninja are assassins Leo, that's what they are trained for and you can't deny that fact." Gabby exclaimed defiantly. "You saw what Ramiela did to my mom and her shop; she would have killed her, while in that ninja mode." Gabby disputed furiously "I am not about to let you turn Mindy into a killer – and that's final."

Leo could see the solid resolve in Gabby's face and he chaffed, realizing how much damage Ramiela had caused. Her behavior back at the music store had only confirmed to Gabby her worst fears for her daughter. The more he assessed his daughter-in-laws chi, Leo sensed it had tipped to negative, just enough to let him know she was settled on her position. It was quite clear that she was leaving him with no other choice. Yet, he would hold his tongue until he had meditated on it, in order to determine the best course of action to take.

"Gabby, she is going have to be trained; there isn't anything you can do about it." Raph insisted calmly as he tried to appeal to his daughter.

"Oh, is that right? Well, as far as _I'm_ concerned, it isn't necessary for _her_." Gabby snapped, shutting him down before he or anyone else could utter another counter argument. Then she stood in a huff and clutched Mindy close to her, declaring, "I think this meeting is quite over!"

Leo and the rest just sat there, not quite up to speed with Gabby's invitation for them to leave. Finally, after it sank in, the three reluctantly rose from their seats to a stand. Mike scratched his arm as he muttered to Raph, "Guess we should go…?"

Raph shrugged and commented to Mike as he took one final look at his daughter before turning to leave, "Certainly has gained quite a backbone, hasn't she."

Mike could only nod in silent agreement as he and Raph headed over to the larger house, leaving their brother behind. As they passed through the front door, Mike commented, "Not the best time to get one, though."

Leo walked over to Gabby and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. He took a moment to look at his granddaughter, smiling tenderly at her while she scrunched up her nose at him and smiled in return. "Luvs you, Ganpa!" she chortled eagerly. He gently cupped her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. She did seem to be back to her old self, proving to her grandfather that she was quite resilient. Finally, Leo met Gabby's stubborn gaze and held it confidently, saying softly to her, "Maybe you ought to have a talk with your mother about this issue. I'm sure she could give you better insight than I, where she spent a good part of her life protecting you."

Gabby remained mute and refused to say anything in return. Frankly, this whole ordeal had taken quite a bit out of her. Her emotions were on edge and it was quite apparent to Leo that much of her outburst was a direct result of that fact. He smiled at her, leaned in and gave her a gentle peck on her cheek. "Rama has a lot to learn about ninjitsu, too, Gabby." He told her softly, "What she experienced this morning was a 'blood rage'. Few of us ever venture there, though I believe you might want to talk to your father about it. I think he could give you some insight." He noticed her eyes widened ever so slightly in wonder, yet still she chose not to utter one word. She had obviously said all that she had wanted to say.

Then, Leo left with Seth following along. Where this meeting regarding Rama was a clan issue, all active members of the clan were to be present. As the father and son walked back to the main house, Seth sighed, "Give Gabs a few days, Father. I'll try to talk some reason into her once she has a chance to calm down."

Leo nodded in agreement. He had a feeling that Gabby's resolve to keep Mindy out of training would take a few days to cool off, making it difficult to start the child any sooner. "Maybe Cassie can help with that. Where it's still obvious that Mindy is part mutant, she's going to need all the advantages to get through this world as it is." He mulled over the other course he could take that would force Gabby to understand his position. It wouldn't be his first choice yet after what he saw a moment ago in his daughter-in-law's eyes, he doubted even Cassandra could sway her.

They took their time to further discuss the situation, arriving in the family room a few minutes later. Raph and Mike had already helped themselves to some ice tea and were downing their drinks quickly. "What some, Leo?" Mike offered

"No. We need to get this going." He explained. "Does Rahab know about our guest coming?"

Mike nodded, "Yep, she'll be down in a minute to get the door. What time?" he asked.

Leo looked over at the kitchen clock and noted it was almost two in the afternoon. "In about thirty minutes." Then, straightening his back, he announced as he looked at each brother, "Shall we go debrief the kunoichi?"

Raph looked over at the staircase and saw Devon as he stepped off the last step. "How's Mr. Glass doing?" he smirked good-naturedly.

Devon shrugged and answered, "Fine, I guess. Mom had to use tweezers and a magnifying glass to get most of it out. Nothing major, but I'll probably scar." He revealed a bandaged left arm, which had taken the brunt of the fall against the broken glass. "Mom said it was a miracle I didn't have deeper lacerations." Then he looked over at Leo, "So, we're doing the tribunal thing?" He knew what that meant and it pained him deeply. Leo and Don were both merciless when it concerned any crime brought under the judgement of the tribunal counsel. Not only from Devon's experience as a teen, but baring witness to Gabby's time as well.

Leo nodded, "Can't let this go, Dev. Rules are rules and where her behavior alerted the general population around Cassie's shop, we can't let it slide just because she's ignorant of the rules." He saw the anguish in his nephew's face, aware of the strong feelings the boy had for her. Such a difference in attitude, Leo observed. He smiled at him, "We won't demand seppuku, so don't worry about that."

"You don't understand, she feels awful about what she did." Devon moaned. "She's in shock about it all."

"Yes," Leo commented, "I know full well where she is emotionally. Nevertheless, we have to do this. No excuses and no exceptions."

Raph winced as he saw how stricken his son was over Rama's predicament. He knew, as well, how attached Devon had become with her and how protective he felt towards the kunoichi earlier on the ride into town. He wondered how his son would react to the punishment that was to come. Devon had grown up in the clan, so it was a given that he knew what was expected. Based on the intensity of her emotions in the car, he assumed that Ramiela had a fair understanding, too. Even though the girl was sincerely repentant for her crime, it still would not get her out of trouble. They could not afford to let her off, certainly not after what she did to Cassie, not to mention the way she trashed all of them. Raph knew that if Don were here right now, he would be all over Rama like a tick on a foxhound. To destroy Cassie's shop would have wounded his brother to the quick, considering how he felt towards the woman.

As they descended the stairs to the dojo, Leo could feel Rama's meditation. _"Excellent."_ He thought to himself, _"A good way to prepare for judgement. She was taught well."_ As they entered the dojo, Ramiela stood up from her lotus position and bowed low in respect to them, forcing herself in the submissive position and sustaining it. It was much lower than what she offered Leo when he first arrived at Mike's place. To the best of her ability and training, Rama was telling all of them that she knew she was unworthy and without honor.

Leo stood before her while she sustained her position. His brothers, son, and nephew then lined up to the left and right of him. They stood in order of their position to the jonin. With Don out of the country, Raph was to Leo's immediate right with Mike to Leo's left. Then, next to Mike was Seth with Devon balancing the line-up at Raph's right hand. By his position to Raph, it was apparent he would be the future jonin – one day. He was the oldest male of that generation. Since Gaele had chosen a different path and where Don had stripped her of her equipment years earlier, the responsibility fell to Devon. Looking up just a little, but keeping her head bowed, Rama did not miss the distinction. She never thought to ask him about his role in the clan and now, as she stood there in judgement, she felt more ashamed than ever before. Groaning inwardly, she maintained her respectful bow until Leo finally released her, telling her simply and forcefully, "Tachiagaru no mae ni watashitachi no senkoku, Kunoichi Rama"

_(Stand for your sentencing, Kunoichi Rama).___

She raised herself just a little and, then, Leo snapped, his voice deep with authority, "Ramiela, what happened back at the shop?"

She had counseled herself with how to respond if he was to ask her – and she knew he would. She was ready for his question long before he had even entered the dojo. She answered him meekly, her head bowed submissively, "I mistook Gabby's mom for my own."

"Why is that?" he asked sternly. Leo drilled his countenance into hers, completely in tune with her senses and her feelings. He felt her despair, her disappointment in herself, her grief, and just a bit of self-loathing. _"That will be dealt with, but not now."_ He thought silently to himself. Despite her transgressions, Leo would not allow Ramiela to delve into self-hatred, not with the promise she had been showing him thus far.

"They are like…" she began, her head still lowered. However, Leo quickly interrupted her.

"You will look at me, Kunoichi. I will not tolerate a shielded reply." He was stern and direct, clipping his words with precision, just as he did when he wielded his twin katana.

Rama gulped, as she felt unworthy even to raise her head. Yet, her sensei demanded nothing less than total obedience. She looked up and winced inwardly at the harsh expressions on the tribunal members' faces. She tried not to glance at Devon. She answered, her apology steep with emotion, "Sumimasen ga Sensei, Gabby's mom and my own, they are like twins only Gabby's mom is older than mine is. When I saw Cassandra and the similarities she had to my own birth mother, all I felt was anger and hatred. Everything my mother had put me through came flooding back to me. I thought I'd been betrayed again, that somehow…" she paused just a little, not certain if she could continue. Yet, the impatient expression on Leo's face told her she should, "…that somehow you knew this, that they looked alike. That angered me more. Then, knowing what I went through, I felt that Mindy wouldn't be safe with her because I knew what my own mom had done to me." Rama explained almost in one breath.

Leo steely gaze bore into her and Rama did her best not to flinch under that hard stare. She had to remind herself that, dishonored kunoichi or not, she still had to accept the punishment from the leader of the clan. That leader was Leo and he was jonin and her Sensei in this world. Rama's job was to accept whatever punishment he felt was right. Yet, still the knots and general unease in her gut told her once again that she was a disgrace, something Ramiela hated and despised. Just knowing that she was responsible for this chaffed at her, whittling away the confidence that she so capably displayed up to this time.

"What did your mother do to have you react in that fashion? I thought she left your dad when you were a baby?" Leo asked quickly and without emotion. Though he knew the answer to his question from what Gabby had shared a while ago, he wanted to hear it from Rama's own lips, that as well as possibly obtaining more information. At the very least, it could augment what punishment he chose to give her.

"She did, but she came back twice. The first time was when I was four and the second time when I was about seven and a half." Rama gulped a little.

Leo then asked with a softer edge to his voice, feeling the turmoil that the recalled memory was causing her, "Please, tell us exactly what she did to you, Kunoichi."

In a low shaky voice, Rama began to share with them about her history with Shay, trying as much as possible to tell him everything so that Leo would know she was being transparent and truthful.

As his student spoke of these things and expounded on what Gabby had shared with them earlier, Leo could sense Ramiela's pain and hatred towards her birth mother. While he was not lacking in sympathy for the girl with all that Shay had put her through, the result of her anger had many repercussions this day. Inwardly, even he was shocked to think that her mother had wanted to exploit her, drugging her, and in the end almost killing her. That, alone, had probably been a mistake on her part. Where Shay had intended to make money off a living child and not a dead one, it was foolishness to even consider drugging Rama. Yet, outwardly, Leo knew that as compassionate as he felt for the girl, he could not show sympathy for her – not when she was being groomed for Jonin.

"So, you attacked an innocent, based on her appearance, in order to get revenge which has already been implemented in your world? Am I correct on that?" Leo spat out sharply.

"I - I didn't mean to." Rama said softly, trying not to look away lest she show disrespect for her sensei's attention.

"You didn't mean to attack _us_ or Cassandra, who just happens to be a trusted friend of our clan? Which one?"

Rama replied sorrowfully, "Both."

"So, you didn't have any plans whatsoever of harming or even killing Cassie?" Leo spat derisively. He remembered sensing the hate, the lust for blood that Rama displayed earlier. She had every intention of killing Cassie, that much he was certain of.

Rama licked her lips and shuttered a bit as she replied, doing her best to look at her sensei, "I - I did at first. I was not expecting her to be Shay's twin, not at all. With how similar you all are to my own family, how was I to know she was different, that she could be trusted?" She looked imploringly into Leo's face, hoping to see some understanding. Instead, she found him narrowing his eyes at her in anger.Rama winced inwardly at his look, knowing even more how disgraced she was in his eyes._ "You really have done it this time Rama." _She ruefully counseled herself

Raph ground out as he crossed his arms in front of him, "We trusted her. That should have been enough, Ramiela. Because of your actions, you have lost honor with us, for you promised to be at peace with our family and _Cassie_ is apart of our family, our clan. You broke the peace-truce by those actions."

Rama knew that what Raph said was true - in a way. She knew that Cassie was part of the family but she did not have any idea back at the shop if the woman was truly 'clan'. Family meant the same to her as it would to anyone else. Yet, 'clan' meant something a little more direct and specialized. Where there were obvious differences between the two, Ramiela was under a different understanding. As far as she was concerned, her promise had only been with the clan, and yet, as she thought about it, she had harmed those members today, as well. Still, by Raph's posturing and comments, it was obvious that they viewed Cassandra as being part of the family. Where they used that word in the same context as clan, Ramiela realized that her actions had indeed broken the truce. Consequently, it was futile to dispute his accusations. She always had to admire the validity of her Uncle Raphael's words, even when it was hard to take.

It was apparent to her that this Raph worked the same way, too.

"I know." Rama replied softly, her eyes brimming with tears. Her voice was husky with emotion as she tried to explain, "I acted without thinking. I acted on impulse instead of checking things out. If I had waited and watched, I would have known better." She hesitated before adding, "I - I've always had a problem with that." Ramiela then admitted sheepishly, "When I realized what I did, I would have done anything to change it. I know I have dishonored the clan and myself. I am unworthy and - a disgrace." She bowed now in repentance and sorrow, unable to maintain eye contact with anyone. Thoroughly beaten down, she was unable to do little else.

Leo felt her dissolve inwardly and he let her – for a moment. Yet still he had a job to do, "So, maybe you think that by admitting all of this, that I should let you off the hook?" Leo wondered to her.

Looking up in surprise, Rama declared sharply, wiping an errant tear away, "No, I deserve to be punished for my transgression and I am willing to accept whatever is decreed." Rama gulped as she said the words, not knowing what to expect for punishment. Yet she knew that she could only begin to regain honor by accepting her crime and embracing their discipline. She doubted Leo would let her off the hook that easy and if he did, she would lose a great deal of respect for him. Punishment for a crime of this magnitude was expected.

Leo paused with the inquiry for a moment, taking Rama's words and analyzing them. Comparing them to what he sensed from her, he knew she was quite sincere. He allowed a few minutes to pass by, if only to let the weight of her own words to settle upon the other members of the counsel. Then, Leo looked up towards the ceiling, expectant. He nodded, as if to himself, and then finally looked back at Rama, saying, "I accept your repentance. I believe you are truly sorry for your act, yet there is a price to be paid for such an act."

Rama nodded knowingly, yet still unsure of how severe her punishment would be, "I understand and I accept it."

However, before announcing her punishment, instead he told her, "Before I sentence you, though, there is someone who has been requested to participate in this tribunal." He nodded to her, excusing himself for a moment. Leo walked over to the stairs and called upwards towards the door, "You may enter now."

Rama remained standing where she was, a bit confused and slowly becoming anxious. Her heart began to race just a little, yet as she heard soft but faint footsteps descend the steps, her senses almost triggered a reaction of alarm. Trembling where she stood, Rama fought the urge to race over to the weapons cabinet to retrieve a katana. She fought her breathing, trying to keep it from running away with her. She could not see whom it was who now entered the dojo, yet she could sense who it was. Every fiber of her being nearly screamed out for her to run, to hide, or to fight.

Leo came back around to face her, his own expression fully alert to her emotional situation. He approached her, both of his hands gently grabbing her shoulders. Looking full in her face, he commanded, "You will remain here in this position and you will answer whatever questions are presented to you. Do you understand, kunoichi?"

Rama swallowed, yet her throat would not work as it seemed as parched as the desert. However, Leo wanted an answer. She nodded feebly, fear etched upon her face. Leo softened, "You are safe, Ramiela; remember that. We are here and nothing and no one will harm you."

With that, he moved away from her, releasing his spot on the floor to the person who now stepped in front of Rama.

Cassandra looked full in the face of the young warrior before her. She did not smile. She was determined to drive home the point with exactly how heinous Rama's act was in destroying her shop. What she saw was a contrite young woman, but she also saw strength and possibilities. "You fight well, Kunoichi." She stated with cool composure.

Rama stared at the woman and wondered why they would allow a mere human to participate in this 'court'. Yes, she wounded Cassie – Ramiela could see the bandaged throat – and destroyed her property. Yet, this was a ninja clan with weapons displayed around the room that said as much. If these mutants were so careful about what they were and keeping that secret from the general population, then why bring this woman into their fold this deeply? Granted, she was Gabby's mom, but did she know everything about Gabby? Where she had not raised her, was she still privy to ways of the clan?

As Cassie studied her, she finally smiled – at Rama's confusion. She knew what Rama was thinking and she was quite aware of how private Leo and his family were, especially regarding their ninja training. "You're probably wondering why I'm here, aren't you?" she finally asked.

Rama nodded nervously, unable to keep from staring at the woman. She noted a subtle red line at the roots of her hair and wondered, then, if maybe Cassie's true hair color was similar to Gabby's. _"It would make sense, where Raph doesn't have any hair to begin with."_ She thought wryly.

Cassandra smiled again, "Well, aside from the fact that I am _very angry with you_ for nearly destroying my shop and quite livid with your _attempt on my life_…" Cassie noted how Rama winced at the mention of her misdeeds, "…it would probably be in your best interest to know who I really am." She looked the young warrior over and noticed a slowly brewing sense of curiosity growing on her face. She nearly whispered as she studied the girl standing before her, "You are interested, aren't you?"

Rama thought about that and realized she was, now, in a position to learn. This time she could chose to act rather than react. In hindsight, she had done more than enough reacting for one day. She simply replied, "Yes, I am."

"Good. It really is too bad that you did not have enough patience to ask earlier today, but – what is it that they say? Timing is everything." She chuckled a little, looking over at Leo and his brothers. They had collectively gathered by the stairwell to give Cassie complete control over Rama. Returning her gaze to the kunoichi, she said evenly and without fanfare, "It goes like this, my dear. I am an _ex Foot Elite_." She crossed her arms and waited, noting the ever-growing intrigue on the girl's face. Cassie smiled at the affect she was having on the kunoichi.

If Rama's eyes could get any bigger after hearing what Cassie had just told her, they would have fallen right out of her head. She stood there dumbfounded. Her mother's twin a Foot soldier, an Elite, no less? _"This world is certainly more bazaar that I first believed."_ She silently commented to herself.

Cassie knew she had scored a hit, yet she had more to shock and surprise the young ninja with, "There is one more thing that I believe you'll find quite interesting." With that, Cassie turned around, her back to Rama and to the others. She slowly yet deliberately lifted up the back of her shirt. As the hem rose above her slacks and inched its way towards her shoulders, Cassie revealed her mutation.

Rama's mouth now matched her eyes as she stared at the mottled pattern of a shell on the woman's back. It was only a pattern where the fullness of the carapace was lost to whatever had not worked with the mutation. Rama stared long and hard, daring to believe that this woman – a human in appearance as far as she was concerned – was a mutant in reality.

Shaking her head in absolute surprise, Ramiela mused wryly, _"Goodness, this world just got a little bit stranger."_

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_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_

**_Gemdrive_**_ **2000**- It takes a while to reach grandchildren stage, one day the Rama universe might actually get there to. Though yes it is cute to see Leo with Mindy. You are right that Rama never resolved her issues with her mom but with Shay out of her life there was no real need for her to worry about it and like lots of people Rama sort of figuratively swept it under the mat. Out of sight out of mind. Perhaps now she realizes things that are ignored can blow out of proportion. Thanks for the review._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Yes Rama came to her senses. Judging from how Gabby was dealt with well for her training, Rama could very well be toast. Thanks for your review._

**_Pretender_**_: Rama is going be in very big trouble and this is definitley one she has been caught at so repercussions must be faced. All ready sent you a separate message on the Rama music you mentioned. Hopefully we will answer your question either in this chapter or in the next couple. Thanks for the review._

**_Teddybear888_**_- I'm taking it you like this story. So glad you took the time to review and let us know. We couldn't have Rama killing Cassie as Reinbeauchaser still wants to use her in future stories. Rama isn't really going be hurt but she will be punished and will learn to behave more appropriately under those sorts of circumstances. Thanks for your review._

**_REINBEUACHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_GEMDRIVE2000: _**_I believe a lot of us have family members that have affected us so deeply that it takes years before we can get over them. Sometimes we think we have, until a certain situation presents itself and then – it's deja vue all over again! Anyway, Cassie's a strong gal, believe me. She's seen and been through much worse. As for Gabby, her strong suit is debating, and talking is something she does very well, unless she's under Don's or Leo's full wrath. Here, she saw how inefficient the physical distractions were, so she did the next best thing. Yeah, we're having a good time making Leo look grandfatherly! Mindy, although not his actual granddaughter, is the hope for the TMNT's future. However, in chapters to come, you will see how devoted Leo is to Min. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Yeppers, between Vestquex and ourselves, we had a bit of fun with this chapter. Action was desperately needed, so we hope we delivered. Well, considering what Rama almost did to Cassie, you're probably right about her being toast. As they say, ignorance of the law is no excuse. As for Cassie's destroyed shop and the reason she was going to give for it, it just rather popped into my head. I know how I would react if a bee managed to find its way into my home! Total war; that and mosquitoes. Die, varmint, die!!! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC:_**_ Ah, don't worry about having a lucid mind. I'd hate for you to one-up me! LOL Ramica sent me the site addy for that song, too…and then, I saw that commercial on TV about that announcer who's agent wanted him to make up a catch phrase. It's the Slama, lama, ding, dong commercial – baseball. Hmm…with the pennant race going on right now, it's all about baseball. Sigh…where's Ken Jennings when you need him? Never thought I'd say that; I'm so sick of Jeopardy. As for Rama, do you think we could resist not getting her into trouble – at least once? I mean, we tried with the April Fools chapters, but Devon had to go all soft on us. Traitor that he is. So, poor Cassie had to play victim this time. Looks around to make sure no strange doors suddenly appear out of nowhere Yeah, that's all I'd need, a visit from Cassie. As for your question, if this chapter or the next fail to answer it, just drop us a line. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TEDDYBEAR888_**_: Glad you're white knuckling through our chapters. That's confirmation that we're doing what we're supposed to be doing – writing action scenes! There has to be some serious angst for Rama; wouldn't be a Rama story without it! :0) Ah, you're way too kind, but thanks a mil for the compliment. Ramica has some of the most original ideas for the TMNT's; I've thoroughly enjoyed pairing up with her – trust me! She's quite the gal, let me tell ya! BTW, are ya'll from the south? I keep thinking Texas. My bro lives in Mesquite, though he was born here in California. Don't worry about not reviewing before now; you have with this chapter and we appreciate it. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	35. Reflections

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Take Eastman and Laird add TMNT's and what do you get?__ Lots of money – of which none are ours. So, with that said, we are broke and only own the freebies – Ramiela, Gabby, and Mindy. _

**CHAPTER 35 – Reflections.**

Rama could only stare at the woman's back in complete shock and surprise. She saw something familiar in its pattern and wondered, but before she could take in any more of its design, Cassandra quickly lowered her blouse and turned back around to face her.

"Tell me, dear Ramiela," she began curtly, "do I remotely look like your mother, now?"

Gulping and quite embarrassed, Rama feebly shook her head no and shied just a little, averting her head in shame. She was still in shock over this woman with her obvious mutation and, therefore, she could only remain silent.

"Good," Cassie declared, "Now we have a healthier starting point." She studied the chastised warrior carefully and then softened her expression. "As I can safely assume, you are probably wondering how I came to be this way." Rama looked back at her with eyes slightly wide and nodded in affirmation. This encouraged Cassandra to continue. "Well, it began about fifty-four years ago…"

For the next thirty minutes, Cassie told Rama her life's story, how she was kidnapped as a child of six by Saki, raised in Japan and trained as ninja until she reached her sixteenth birthday. That was when she and a host of other fellow Foot ninja were moved to New York with Oruku. It was there that they began a campaign of crime and where, about a year later, when they crossed paths with the turtles.

When Cassie arrived at the part where she had beaten Raph on top of April's apartment, Rama could not help but look back over at him. He caught her gaze immediately. She noticed him shift a little, as if the memory was still a sore spot, yet she was surprised that was all he did. If it had been her Uncle Raphael, he would have done more than that; he would have either spouted some insult at Cassie or stormed out of the room. The fact that this Raph stood more at ease than he should have been told Rama that, to him, this was accepted history and nothing more. However, Raph narrowed his gaze at her as if she had stared long enough. She quickly turned her head back around to face Cassie, realizing how rude she was being. Yet, her mind was still on the fact that this woman had beaten the Raphael of this world. If he was anything like her uncle, how could that happen? Was Cassie that good and, if so, why didn't she defend herself earlier when her life was in jeopardy?

Then, Rama was riveted back to the conversation at hand when Cassie told about her renouncing of her position within the Foot. The girl stood there in shock to hear how Saki had reacted towards the woman. After having Cassie beaten and raped, he threw her into the same a cell with Splinter, who had been captured earlier. Cassandra then shared how the rat had helped her through that ordeal, giving her the will to continue on living. However, it didn't stop there. The story continued with Cassandra's removal and relocation just before Casey rescued the master. The woman shared how she was then forced into experiments with the mutagenic gel. As Rama listened, Cassie explained how her body changed over the course of ten years with each experiment. The girl soon came to understand how the woman had a 'shell' on her back. Rama also began to see how it was possible for her to conceive Gabby. It shocked her to learn how Raph's DNA was harvested earlier, collected to assist with Saki's evil endeavor to create an enhanced soldier. In fact, as she thought back to just a moment before, she recognized that it was his shell pattern on Cassie's back that she had recognized.

Yet, as the woman told how she had conceived Gabby, Rama couldn't help but feel sorry for her as well as for Raph. Still, the woman continued. She went on to tell Rama about how she gave Gabby up to the professor and how she had watched over them for the first ten years. Rama had to fight back a smile when Cassandra shared how she had disguised herself as a blind woman while living in Connecticut. During that time, she was coaching Gabby in voice, all the while performing on Broadway in the evenings. It seemed to hit a humorous chord within the kunoichi. She smiled a little at the woman's duplicity and wondered if even the professor was aware of it at the time. She then answered Rama's silent question when she shared about trying to convince Perry to give 'Gabriella' up.

_"Gabriella,"_ Rama thought_, "what a pretty name and so much nicer than just 'Gabby'. She really should make people call her by her full name; Gabby just sounds so disrespectful!"_ Rama concluded silently.

Finally, when Cassandra came to the part of the Professor's deteriorating health and Don's retrieval of Gabriella, she concluded with a brief statement about finally retiring from active duty.

"Even if I chose to, my dear, I wouldn't have been able to defend my self against you today." She looked hard at the young warrior. "It has been a while since I last sparred and at least three years since I last fought. I prefer a more sedate existence, if you know what I mean?" She cocked her head to one side and then narrowed her eyes. With a stern voice she then accused, "**You, however, had a greater responsibility to check yourself, to be in control!** There is no excuse for what you did, Ramiela, even if I were the personification of your mother." Cassie paused for a moment to let her words sink in.

Rama understood, now, why Gabby's mom had been allowed to partake in the tribunal and why the turtles were not hiding the fact of their ninjitsu from her. Cassie was one of them, if only by her personal history and by her mutation.

Then, with a voice that was soft and caring, the woman stated casually, "After your punishment is completed, I have asked Leo permission to acquire you for a day or two."

Rama's eyes went a little wide, still trying to access her mother's look-alike. Even with such a different life story, the woman still bore the spitting image of the girl's worst nightmare. "Ah, for what?" she asked with trepidation.

"Isn't it obvious?" Cassie stated evenly.

"Um, I'm still trying to process things, so I'm a little lost on why you would need _me_." Rama answered honestly.

Cassandra laughed as if she thought the girl's comment to be quite funny, "You destroy my shop and then wonder why I would need you? " Shaking her head and smiling, she explained derisively, "To help clean up the **_mess_** you made, that's why!"

Rama blushed, sighing in relief. She was not at all resistant to such a request and she knew beyond a doubt that she would have offered anyway – once things had settled down. Yet, she felt compelled to ask, "A-alone?"

"Of course not…I'll be there." Cassie smiled warmly at the girl.

That was not what Rama had meant but then, at this stage, it was a moot point. She nodded in acceptance, saying, "I could do no less than to assist you."

"You're absolutely correct about that, Ramiela!" Cassie said shortly and then asked,"Oh, and before I take my leave, there is one more thing." She cocked her head just a little in curiosity, "Considering how you behaved in my shop, I would like to know what your mother did to make you hate her so much?"

Rama gulped a little, as she really did not want to tell her. Just the memory of her mother was awful enough but then to tell about her with Shay's twin doing the listening seemed surreal. However, she was now convinced that Cassandra was not Shay. She also realized that Cassie did not have to share at all about herself, but she did. Not only that, but in this world, she was still an innocent, even with her past allegiance with the Foot. Besides, didn't Leo say that she had to answer any and all questions that Cassie would ask of her? Consequently, for the third time that day, Rama shared about her mother, Shay, and her own past. Not in as great a detail as she told the tribunal, but enough to reply to the question put to her. Once or twice while she talked, Rama noticed Cassandra wince ever so subtly, as if she were appalled that any parent would do such a thing to their own child. She had looked over at Leo and the others when Rama came to the part where Raph had executed Shay, yet – even then - her expression remained flat and unreadable.

When Rama finished, a stretch of silence filled the dojo. Cassie's eyes closed for a moment to mull over what she had just heard. Then, ever so subtly, she nodded a couple of times, as if she understood. Finally, she snapped her eyes opened and looked long and hard at the kunoichi. She bore her own gaze into the young warrior as if she wanted Rama to understand her without a moment of doubt. Then, Cassandra addressed her, "In life, Rama, we often do not have control over the things that happen to us. Yet, they happen. One thing that I took with me after my brief 'visit' with Master Splinter was this. 'It matters not what happens to you or how people treat you. What matters most is in how you react'. Remember that!"

She smiled once at the girl. Cassie noticed Leo straightening up just a bit as if in recognition of his old master's wise words. The woman then turned her focus back to the kunoichi, again, saying sternly, "You must get a hold of how you respond to life when it happens to you, even with regards to your mother. You were too young to control what she did to you then, but you do not have that excuse now! Make sure that similar experiences do not manipulate you, Kunoichi." Cassandra admonished.

"I know and I realize that." Rama admitted morosely, gulping as she looked away in shame.

Nodding her head and smiling just a little, Cassandra stepped forward to stand right in front of Ramiela. She gently took the girl's chin in her hand to encourage her to look at her. Softly, she remarked, "Yes, I know you do. Your repentance is quite noticeable – and I accept your contrition." Then Cassie, just as gently, released Rama's chin and stepped back one stride. She gave her a short bowed before saying, "Arigato gozaimasu no chui". Then she took her leave. _(Thank you for your attention)_

As Cassandra passed Leo, she cocked an eyebrow at him and stated, "She's all yours!" However, just before she left the dojo and as she walked by Raph, Cassandra leaned in and whispered to him as she smiled, "Heard about your new nickname – '_Ganpa Spungebob'_!" Then, snickering to herself, Cassie made for the stairs, taking the steps two at a time while leaving a rather grumpy Raphael in her wake.

Touched by Cassie's attempt of encouraging her, Rama's heart still sank when the woman handed the remaining part of the tribunal back over to Leo.

Now was the time for judgment and sentencing.

The kunoichi braced her resolve. Rama still didn't know what to expect from the clan. Though she was ready to accept her punishment, that didn't necessarily mean she would find it easy to accomplish. About the only hope that she seemed to have was that it wasn't going to require seppuku, not where she would be helping Cassandra clean up her battered shop afterwards.

_"Then, again, seppuku just might be easier than being alone with her_." Rama thought to herself_, "even with her different life and her kind advice, she still looks far too much like Shay for my liking." _

Once again, Leo and the others took their position in front of Rama. She straightened up as much as was possible, expecting no leniency from them and not wanting any either. If anything, Rama desired punishment for what she did. At the very least, she felt it would be cathartic and therapeutic a just payment for her blatant lack of self-control.

With as stern a look as she had ever received from him, Leo announced, "Ramiela, you are charged and found _guilty_ for breaking the truce with the clan, for harming an innocent as well as others in the clan itself. You are also charged for acting inappropriately, based on your training and status, as well as bringing much dishonor to all of us, including yourself."

Rama felt her insides twist from Leo's words. Yes, indeed, this Leo was very much like her own sensei with how he conducted clan affairs. Nevertheless, she stood her ground and awaited the verdict. She was determined that whatever it would take, she would restore honor to the clan as well as to herself. Though she desperately wanted to fidget because she was so nervous, Rama stood as still as she could at strict attention.

"Where you lacked self-control and acted impulsively, you are hereby sentenced to spend the next two and a half days here in the dojo in complete isolation from the rest of the clan. You will spend that time in meditation. You are also prohibited from working out or doing any type of katas. Instead, your time will be used in reflection upon this day's events and only that." He briefly noticed Rama's eyes flick quickly over at Devon, prompting, "You will be monitored, so I suggest you be mindful of your thoughts!" The kunoichi quickly resumed her attention to the matter at hand. Leo smiled to himself as he could feel the anticipated loss in Rama, where Devon would be absent from her. Maybe that would be the catalyst for the girl to work hard at exercising self-control. She would definitely miss him; that much Leo could tell. Then, he continued with the sentencing, "You will be allowed only three breaks each day, two at fifteen minutes each while the third break will be for thirty minutes. Also, you will be allowed four hours of sleep each night." Leo paused slightly, pursing his lips a little, as he focused on his student's emotional state. Then, he nodded, "You will be given only one meal per day, but unlimited water, of which both will be provided."

Rama felt an almost giddy sense of relief flood through her at Leo's words. Partial banishment was bad enough, but at least it wasn't full blown banishment - or worse. However, for just a flicker of a moment she felt a brief warning from Devon, as if what she was feeling should be the last thing she should be doing right now. Then, to bring it all into focus why he would attempt such an effort to warn her, especially during a tribunal, Rama saw Leo stiffen ever so slightly.

She gulped nervously.

Easily sensing her relief, Leo added, his face grim as he narrowed his eyes at her, "Do not be so relieved, Kunoichi. Once your time of solitary is complete, I will be intensifying your training to ensure that you **never **behave in this fashion again. Trust me on this one, Ramiela, you will not find it enjoyable in the least. In fact you might even look forward to helping Cassandra if only to get away from _me_." Leo smile tightly as he finished.

Rama swallowed nervously for she knew how bad her own sensei could be. Therefore, she didn't have any doubts at all that this Leo could bring a whole new definition to the words 'torture through training'. She knew it would not be easy on her, but she also realized that she had to find a way to begin acting more correctly in the sort of situations as what she found herself in today. Cassie was correct, after all. How one responded or reacted to the things that happened to you was paramount to anything else. This particular weakness of hers, where it concerned her mother, could not be allowed to rule her life. Though her Sensei at home had been slowly working on this with her, he, too, would often berate her for not taking control of her memories rather than letting her memories control her. Basically, she just couldn't take in the complete picture and it was this which tripped her up today.

Yet, the more she thought about it, the more she was confident that if this Leo could help her, then it would be worth it how he punished her. At the very least, Rama hoped that would be so. Even though she did not have any idea what methods he had in mind to use for that part of her training, she would welcome it gladly. Still, her mind and imagination wanted to play out different scenarios, but she pushed that temptation back. The last thing she needed was to freak her self out before there was a need to.

Then, she bowed slightly and softly said, " Hai, Sensei."

"As a side-note, Ramiela, your crime has had some very serious fall-out in our clan. Your actions have compromised Mindy's training. Gabby is now more adamant than before about not training her daughter. Also, if you had killed Cassandra while in the blood rage, you would not be having things so easy." Leo paused, "and the chances of getting you back home might have been lost for who knows how long."

Rama flinched in spite of her desire not to, for she knew it was true. She had all she could do to fight back her tears.

"The only reason why I haven't demanded more from you is because you were unaware of our rules and because of your obvious post traumatic response. I cannot fault you for feeling about your mother the way that you do. However, I can find fault with your response. Both your ignorance of our rules and how you respond to things will be amended soon. The fact that you acknowledged your own crimes and regretted what you did as well as shared your personal demons with us influenced your punishment." With that said, Leo pivoted on his heels and headed for the stairs with the others in close formation behind him.

Rama desperately wanted to call out to Devon to hear words of comfort from him. Yet, she knew it would have been inappropriate and would probably earn her an additional day in the dojo as a result. Consequently, she sank thankfully, yet remorsefully, to the floor and into a lotus position. Soon, she began the long hours of her sentence-imposed meditation.

_…_…………

Devon waited until he was upstairs in his bedroom before he gave into his feelings of despair. As his shoulders slumped, he wearily leaned against the door after he closed it, shaking his head in sadness. After learning what Rama's own mother had put her through, he now knew that it would take the kunoichi some time to accept Cassandra, despite the differences. While Cassie was confronting Rama, Devon had wanted nothing more than to reach out and offer some mental comfort to his love. Yet, he knew that Leo would not permit it. In fact, he felt a subtle warning from his uncle as he had thought about aiding Ramiela. It wasn't a harsh warning, but just a 'mind your business' warning. Then, Devon wondered silently how Rama would deal with her fear when forced to work with Cassie in cleaning up the store. Maybe he could ask to participate, yet at the same time, he knew that Leo would want Rama to face her 'fear' on her own. She was, after all, a future jonin – like him. Devon smiled a little remembering Rama's obvious surprise to see him in that position next to his Father. _"Maybe I should have told her about that earlier? Oh well, at least now she knows," _he said ruefully to himself.

Suddenly, there was a gentle tapping on the bedroom door. Devon startled just a bit, caught unaware and somewhat surprised. He turned sharply around and immediately sensed his father. As he opened the door, Raph smiled a little, knowing the emotions playing out in his son. "Can I come in?" he asked softly.

Devon didn't say anything but nodded, opening the door wider so his father could step inside. Raph assessed his son for a moment; neither of them saying anything at first. Then, Raph rested a hand on Devon's shoulder, saying encouragingly, " Don't feel bad for her, Dev, Rama's accepted it. Besides, she doesn't really want our pity. Did ya feel that spark from her when Leo asked if she should be let off just because she felt repentant? You know as well as I do, she wouldn't respect any of us then." Raph added, "Dev, she grew up in a ninja clan so she knows what to expect."

His son replied, "I know. It's just - how could her own mother do that to her?" He sat down on the edge of his bed, truly affected by what he heard from her only moments earlier.

Raph joined him, putting a comforting arm around Devon's shoulders, saying, "I don't know and from what Rama shared a while ago, her mother's not around to answer that question. Yet, it seems like poetic justice, to me. Where Cassie was sent years ago to kill us and doing what she did to me, then to have her twin in Rama's world be 'offed' by my other self," Raph grinned reflectively, "it's just poetic, that's all I can say."

"You – don't like Cassie?" Devon asked, somewhat surprised.

"Like her? Well, let's just say that I've learned to tolerate her. When I learned of her true identity three years ago, it took some getting used to. She's Gabby's mom, so – I sort of have to accept her, now don't I?" He looked at his son and then entreated, "As a future jonin, though, Ramiela knew what to expect, Dev. Yet, as our future jonin you did real well yourself. I'm proud of you." Raph reflected back to when he and his son were at constant odds, due mainly to his failed marriage to Rahab. Her constant fights with him and the bickering that followed kept him away more often than he would have liked. This, of course, made things quite difficult between himself and his son

Devon gave a small smile for the compliment from his dad, "Thanks, that means a lot to me."

Raph grinned, "Thought it would!"

One of the things that Rama seemed to notice right off the bat was the silence in the dojo. While she would workout during previous times, she had never really paid much attention to how quiet it was. Yet, now it seemed to press down around her, giving her a subtle feeling of suffocating. Even though she knew the rest of the family was somewhere upstairs, in or out of the house, and going about their business, for the life of her she couldn't hear them. In her own home and even in the privacy of her bedroom, she could at least hear the rest of her family moving around. She could hear conversations taking place between her loved ones, with the occasional battle among her cousins, or even the faint noise from the television in the living room. However, here she was completely cut off from everyone and everything. Not even a squeak from the upper floorboards! It was certain that when Mike had this house built, he had it built very well.

Still, Rama longed to reach out just to sense the other members of the clan, just so she knew that the family had not abandoned her. Although she felt the loneliness, she knew that her thoughts were supposed to be turned inward and not outward. If Leo was monitoring her, with either the cameras or his own senses - and it was probably true with both - then he would know she was not obeying the dictates of her punishment. Rama was fully aware that she was in enough trouble as it was, so she concentrated to keep her mind focused on what she had to do and not on what she wanted to do.

While Rama was fully aware that meditation was useful, she easily recalled how long a twenty-four hour stint of meditating was. It had not been more than two months since her sensei in the other world had assigned her that task, either. She remembered how difficult it was, at first; balking at the idea where she was so tired and hungry. She was never one for long periods of meditation to begin with, and that assignment only drove home the point. However, she did have to admit the time spent meditating had been interesting – and beneficial as a result.

After the first ten hours, Rama looked up and soon realized that not even a clock graced the walls of the dojo. This only meant that she would have to use her mental aspects about time to keep track of her break and sleeping periods. When this truth finally sank in, Rama was suddenly very much aware of how long her punishment was going to be. Without anything else around to distract her and with only meditation to occupy her time, she knew her stint in the dojo was going to be excruciatingly long.

Sighing, she decided to put everything she could into her self-introspection and reflection. _"Maybe, in that way, time will fly by faster,"_ she thought to herself, remembering a similar experience with her last long stretch of meditation.

Still, she could not help but grump a little bit, _"I have a feeling the world could end and I'd never know it, not with being down here!"_

Sighing, she closed her eyes and tried to relax once more.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

**_Yeah, this is a calmer chapter than what preceded it. However, things are going to get interesting from here on out! Therefore, just to make sure that the authorities at fan fiction are appeased, chapter 38 will be rated R…we're erring on the side of caution with that rating and giving you, the reader, a fair warning about the change. This means, if you do not have Reinbeauchaser on your author alert mode, check the R section of this site. It will be the only chapter rated as such, but once rated R, it has to stay there. Last thing we want to have happened is to get the story yanked! Quite possibly, we might be reacting too carefully. Well, feedback is always welcomed. Just go to 'submit review', type your comments, click the 'submit review' button…you know the drill. :0)_**

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS: _**

**_Teddybear888_**_: Rama now understands that Cassie isn't Shay but the similarities between them makes it difficult for her. As for emotions sometimes some good 'raw' emotions can make for a good chapter. A gratitude for your insight. _

**_Ace1413_**_: Rama getting her dues. What dues are those might I ask? Is it being put in her place perhaps? If so well rama often gets put in her place but it is very difficult keeping her there. Ah, well the main thing is you enjoyed. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: I think we have had quite enough reaction from Rama thank you. I'm sure the clan would agree with me on that point. They might also point out that Rama can handle a bit of pressure being turned on for her behaviour. What is that saying? If you don't like fires, don't play with matches or something to that effect. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TEADYBEAR888_**_ – Ah, well, it was the 'ya'll' that made me think of 'Tax-as'. New 'Awlans' and jazz – my daughter's favorite combo! :0) Hey, regarding Dev – he's in love and the soft side of him is coming out. Need to read **Rahab** to understand from whom he gets it! Believe it or not, Raph in that story was a softy when it came to his ladylove, Rahab. Until they parted ways, that is. As far as Rama is concerned, she's going to get more than she bargained for – much to Leo's chagrin. Look for some temperature readings along the way in the next couple of chapters! We may have to up the rating a bit, too. Hmm… Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_KATIE_**_: Wow, what a compliment! Thanks. Buslady and I AIM now and then, so I know of whom you speak! She's a pretty neat gal. Loves her Raphies! LOL Yes, sometimes TV sucks, but I do have to say that they're trying to put out more quality programming. Alias. CSI, LOST, I love Enterprise, Smallville ( can't believe we watch that teen soap opera, but it's well written, so…), Extreme Home Makeover (best reality show there is, in my humble opinion). Anyway, you need to seriously do up your own story! Have someone beta read it for you if you're a little unsure. Either way, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_ACE1413_**_: Say hey, there, how you've been? Long time, eh? Wow, I checked on your faan ficttion handle (need to spell it differently in order for it to show up here) and couldn't believe you're not registered anymore. What gives? Anyway, yes, lots have been happening. Not sure how far behind you were with this story or if it was completely new for you, but there are quite a few more chapters to go before we tag 'The End' onto this. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Now ya know who this 'guest' is! Cassie is no pushover and would want a confrontation of sorts. Only fair, all things considering. Now you also know how Cassie is a mutant. To be honest, Ramica and I are so far ahead of this point with chapters written already, that I rather forgot that Cassie explains things in this chapter. LOL Yeah, bright only describes the sun that is now shining outside, after many days of near constant raining. Very unusual weather for southern California! :0) Anyway, I've been on rides myself where I was the focus of someone's displeasure. Not a comfortable ride! Credit Ramica for the translation as she has books on said topic. If it weren't for her, I'd be forced to use the 'free translations' on line, and I've discovered they're pretty lame. Either way, glad to be loved – gives me warm fuzzies! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	36. Stubborn As Her Old Man!

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Yeppers, we're only owned by Gabby, Mindy and Rama – but I have to say that I'm glad Rama owns Ramica – that girl has too much of an attitude! Rama, that is! :0) Gabby does, too, but she's not as trained in the arts, so – at least I have that much in common with her….ah…well, maybe not since I can't punch my way out of a paper bag! Oh and hats off to Pretender Fanatic who brought to our attention a bit of a plot hole. It's nicely patched up, now, so Ramica and I can breathe easier! Thanks, PF! :0)_

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

**CHAPTER 36 – STUBBORN AS HER OLD MAN!**

After he and his brothers exited the stairwell, Leo found Cassie in the family room, sipping on a glass of lemonade. Rahab and she were chatting about things, mostly about the damage in the shop and the aftermath. He casually walked over to where they sat, rubbing his face a little as if the past forty-five minutes had been a grueling spar. He then sat down in a nearby chair. "Honestly, this kunoichi's going to be the death of me, yet. Between her pranks and now this…I don't know, maybe her family _won't_ want her back!" he chuckled.

Cassie looked over at him and shook her head, smiling, "It's alright, Leo, she just freaked out. Considering what that poor girl went through with her mother, I don't think I blame her any…yet, she is a future jonin, so you had to do something to get her to think about her actions."

Rahab then asked, "So, what's the verdict?" It was obvious that Mike's wife was rather concerned with the girl, her sympathies based on the problems she had years ago after her own transformation. Rahab understood quite well how difficult it could be when your life has been turned completely upside down and then have one little 'trigger' make things even worse.

"Well," Leo replied, "She'll be down there for a couple of days. Same as we did with Gabby, but not as long. We'll release her about noon, day after tomorrow."

He watched as Rahab groaned, shaking her head and then turning away as she muttered, "That poor girl and all that she went through only to get punished like this,"

"Rahab, Ramiela is a future jonin and she needs to be in control of these things. Otherwise, how can she lead?" Leo rebuked. "Yes, what her mother did was awful, I won't deny that. Yet, what time she will spend in the dojo meditating will be good for her. The meditation will reveal a lot about what Rama is and what she needs to understand. I wouldn't assign it to her unless I felt this was true."

Rahab looked back at him and scowled. She wasn't so sure about that, remembering Gabby's own stint with temporary banishment. Unknown to the family, though, the sole reason why the girl ended up there was her reaction to what Jason had tried to do to her. If a little understanding had been exercised beforehand and Gabby's side heard, more than likely she wouldn't have had to be punished. Then again, for her it did drive home the point how dangerous it was for any of them to strike humans. "Well, I sure hope your right, Leo. She seemed awfully upset when she came home."

"I am, trust me!" he insisted.

……….

While Leo talked with Rahab and Cassie, Mike and Raph both went into the kitchen to fetch their own beverages. Raph grabbed up an apple from the fruit bowl, bit into it, and then looked over at the trio in the family room. He then commented to Mike, "Ya know, Mikey, it was a whole lot easier down in those sewers! No kids to hassle with; no need to worry about how any of us were going to act or react, just the four of us and Splinter."

Mike looked at his brother as if he were nuts, "And the Foot, can't for get the Foot, Raph. You have to be kidding me, right? All that we have at our fingertips and you want to go back to the sewers?" He just stood there, completely shocked.

"Didn't say I wanted to go back, I'm just saying, it was easier – even though in some ways it was harder." He took a swig of his beer and then admitted, "You and Don get the big houses and all the trimmings here in Big Sur. In San Fran at that solo dive I call an apartment, I still get a ten by nine room!" and then he walked out of the kitchen and out the patio doors. Mike shook his head and sighed, taking up a pear from the bowl.

…………

Leo looked at Cassandra and then over at his sister-in-law, "Mike and I need to talk to Cassie privately, so if you don't mind…"

Rahab nodded, getting up and headed out towards the patio door. Mike joined up with Leo and sat down in the chair across from her, snacking on his fruit.

Leo then looked at Cassie and asked, "While you're here, I would like for you to drop in on Gabby and try to talk some sense into her about Min's training."

"Don't tell me she's balking." Cassie asked with a sigh.

"She's already talked to you about it?" Mike's eyes widened in surprise just a little.

"Yes, about a year ago I asked her if the clan was going to start Min's training. She was not expecting that. In fact, she became quite upset and made me promise not to say anything to you whatsoever." Cassie sighed, "I tried to tell her that she cannot hold Mindy's training back, but Gabby nearly went ballistic. I don't know, Leo, if I can help. I think her view of what we do is a bit tweaked from that experience she had during the fight three years ago. However I'll do my best."

"Thanks, that's all I ask." Leo then asked, "So, did the police show up after we left?"

"Yes, they did…in fact, about five minutes after you left. Speaking of which, I need to be back by six to meet with the insurance adjuster." Then, Cassandra shared with Leo and Mike the details about what she told the arriving officers.

After a few minutes and with all the information Cassie gave them, Leo remarked, "Well, the quicker we call the precinct the better this whole affair will turn out. Thanks, Cassie. I think now, if you're up to it, would be a good time for you to talk with Gabby. I'd also like to know how it turns out."

The three then stood up and went their separate ways.

Once in the den, Mike dialed the police station and mused, "I sure hope my friendship with the police will help us out here. Last thing we need is an investigation!"

"Oh, I think Cassie did a good enough job to convince them it was just an accident." Leo assured.

Once the dispatcher answered, Mike explained the nature of the call. Soon the dispatcher transferred him over to the detective in charge of the assault on Cassie's shop. Mike drummed his fingers on the desk as he waited, catching his brother smiling at him. "What?" he asked, rather annoyed by Leo's expression.

"You're nervous." Leo accused.

"Am not. I have a great reputation in this town. It's going to be fine." Mike insisted and then huffed. "Just don't like police activity is all. Ever since Gaele went joy riding in my Testarosa, I've tried to keep a low profile."

Still, by calling the police before they called him, his family would end up appearing less guilty. Mike might not have wanted to be the one calling, yet he was better suited to doing the job where the community was more familiar with him. Moreover, by calling first, he would be showing concern, thereby raising fewer suspicions than if they opted to wait for the police to call them. Considering the known private nature of the clan, the authorities would call first anyway before driving up to the house. What aided that depth of respect was Mike's friendship with the force and Don's numerous and sizable donations to the police fund. In the end, it helped to promote the view that the mutants were overall a decent family.

After a moment, Mike heard the slightly roughened voice of the officer in question, "Officer Braddock speaking."

Mike introduced himself, choosing his words carefully, but speaking calmly enough so as not to raise any suspicions, "Yes, this is Mike Angelo and I'm calling with regards to the incident at the Musical Note this afternoon."

"Ah, yes! I'm glad you called, because I was just about to call you." Braddock said, admitting, "I've heard from some of the witness there that you might have been involved in that problem."

Mike smiled a little, knowing by the officer's words that he was fishing for information, "Yes, we were. My family was visiting with Cassandra. I do want to apologize for not staying around, as I know how that must have looked. But my wife's granddaughter was quite upset and we all felt it might be better to get her back home and away from the mess as she might have injured herself if we stayed." Mike went on to explain, "What happened was, a bee flew into the store and we didn't want to take the risk of it stinging the child. In an effort to kill the bee, my nephew swung at it first and missed, breaking a few things as a result. It was all by accident, of course, as he was rather panicky about the bee."

"A bee, you say? Quite a large mess for the sake of just one bee." the officer noted.

"Well, things sort of got out of hand after my nephew's initial miss with the first swipe. After that, with everyone trying to kill the bee, it became like a madhouse for a moment. By that time, the bee was becoming aggravated and there was just no telling how the child might have responded if she were stung. With her mother having an allergy to bee-stings, it was likely that her daughter could be, too." Mike didn't have any idea if Gabby was allergic or not, but the excuse sounded plausible and that was far more important. He went on to say, "With her young age, we just didn't want to take that chance." He chuckled a little, "It was actually quite embarrassing. Every time we thought we had it cornered and took a swipe at it, the stupid thing would fly off again, only madder than it was before." Mike then offered, "Our family does intend on paying restitution to Cassandra for the damage involved."

Hearing Mike explain things to the officer, Leo knew that offering to pay for any and all damages would make the incident an opened and shut case, a done deal with the police dropping quietly out of the picture.

However, he noticed Mike furrow his brow. It appeared that Braddock was not quite ready to drop the matter just yet. Mike grimaced as Braddock asked him, "Were any of your family members hurt?"

"Oh, a few small cuts from the broken glass, nothing too serious." Mike decided to downplay the injuries, the way Cassie had told him. Where there were a few blood splatters in the store from Devon, he had to at least say that much.

"You know the few people that came forward to give a statement seemed to think that there was more than that, as if there were more serious wounds," the officer stated casually.

Mike smiled, as he suddenly understood that the officer was hoping to catch him a lie. "Well, what injuries there were didn't warrant any doctor or emergency room visits. A bit of time with some tweezers, some antiseptic, and a Band-Aid or two was all that was necessary to mend the wounds." He then became a bit more serious, "I'm rather surprised, though, that people in Carmel would report it that way. After all, we have been a part of this community for a few years and have tried to remained above reproach. Then, again, people do tend to exaggerate whenever there is something exciting going on. However, I've noticed that some people have a tendency to blow things out of proportion, especially when it concerns our family. The sort of situation we found ourselves in today only adds to the problems of prejudice that we've had to face."

The officer sighed, "Yeah I know what you mean. Well, since you've said just about what Cassandra told us, I think we can pretty much let things go. Everything seems to add up."

"If you need to come by and check things out as far as injuries go, just let us know and we'll have the gate opened for you." Mike offered.

"Thanks, if we do, we'll definitely call ahead. I appreciate you getting in touch with me about this." Braddock then hung up, as did Mike.

"Well, it sounds like he's going to let the matter go." Mike reported. He took a deep breath and said, "I really hate police involvement!"

"I hope that if they do come, it's after Rama's punishment. I don't want her interrupted." Leo knew the importance of Rama doing the whole meditative exercise without it being foreshortened. The last thing she would need was to have her time in the dojo curtailed.

He and Mike then moved out of the den and into the family room to await Cassie's report. Leo hoped that his daughter-in-law would listen to reason with it coming from her mother. Yet, with her stubborn resolve, he had a very bad feeling that Gabby's mind was already set.

Knowing who her father was pretty much established that trait.

……………

The afternoon was unusually warm for early April, so Gabby decided to take advantage of the day with its inviting temperatures. She was currently reclining in one of the lounge chairs on the patio, appearing to take a nap. Every now and then, though, she would look up to check on her daughter. The child was currently playing with Riahna, who was entertaining her niece on the nearby lawn. The two were getting along rather well, which was unusual where Mindy was just as headstrong as her aunt. Normally, because of her autism, Riahna had little patience with the child. However, they both seemed equally engrossed with putting some freshly cut flowers into a vase. This pleased Riahna immensely, if her smile was any indication.

From inside the house where he stood by the screened patio door, Raph watched his daughter as she relaxed by the pool. At the same time, he was able to sense Rama down in the dojo. So far, the kunoichi had been adhering to her meditation assignment. Already, the girl had served over half her sentencing time after destroying Cassie's shop the day before. It seemed Rama was quite willing to regain her honor, which, even though he wouldn't admit it to the girl, impressed Raph quite a bit. A small part of him had admired the kunoichi's skill with the way she so easily disabled him and his brothers, not to mention his son and nephew. He knew all too well the depth of ninjitsu she had used to do it with, too. Just the same, her actions were uncalled for. Retribution had to be made, regardless of how remorseful she felt for her offense. The best news out of all of this was that Officer Braddock had called back to inform the family that the case was dismissed. It helped, of course, that Cassie was Gabby's mother, but with the event happening in town and with public witnesses, proper measures had to be followed.

Raph then caught a movement and soon noticed Seth leaving his house, making for the pool area. The iguanid male headed towards his wife with a determined step and a strained expression on his face. It was perfectly obvious that he was intending to speak with her once again regarding Mindy. However, Raph had other ideas. He quickly focused on his nephew, fine-tuning his mind as he sent him a subtle message. In a moment, Seth stopped and looked up towards the house. It was there that he saw Raphael. There was a bit of nonverbal communication that went on between the two and, then, Seth changed directions and headed over to the opposite side of the pool. He looked back at his uncle, as if challenging him, but Raph gave him a slow shake of his head. Finally shrugging his shoulders, Seth huffed once and then slipped into the pool, diving deep to the bottom and out of sight. Raph chuckled a bit at his son-in-law's habit of spending time at the bottom of the pool whenever he was ticked off. It was either there or the sanctuary, but both were habits none the less. Due to his heritage, Seth could hold his breath for a decent thirty minutes while he grumbled. Since Gabby was his main irritant for the moment, it was a good bet that her husband would remain submerged for a while.

Raph then went back to observing his daughter and granddaughter, taking another sip from his glass of iced tea. Swallowing his drink slowly, he allowed the cool liquid to ease its way down his throat. Looking over at the child on the lawn, he was thankful that Mindy had proven her resilience. She was already back into full toddler mode again, laughing and giggling with her aunt. He grouched a bit at the sight of the bandage on her arm, yet he was thankful her cut was minimal. _"Should heal without much of a scar,"_ he mused quietly. He watched as Min helped Riahna fill the glass vase with their collection of flowers, babbling on about who knows what in her almost four-year-old voice.

Despite what he had said to Mike the day before, Raph was quite content with his little family. As he watched his granddaughter, it was hard to believe that Mindy would be four in a little more than three months. He imagined the pool parties she would have with subsequent birthday celebrations when she was older, once she started school and began to make friends. He sighed; so many changes in the twenty-nine years since Rahab became apart of their clan. He thought about when he, his brothers, and Splinter had left New York in that borrowed mini van. He was twenty-two then and just as frightened about their future as Leo had been. All the adventures they had along the way towards freedom until their discovery in New Mexico. If someone had told him at the time where he'd be right now, he'd accuse them of 'smokin' their socks'. Then, ten years after that, to find someone like Rahab and have a son by her, would have made him double up with laughter. Him…married, becoming a father, and then trying to live the straight life? Yeah, right! Yet, it did happen and much to the surprise of everyone. Even though the marriage had tanked – and he blamed himself for that one – he still had Devon and, as fate would have it, eventually Gabby. Now, having a granddaughter, too, Raph could only shake his head and laugh to himself at the irony of it all.

As he looked back over at Gabby, he sighed. She was still quite firm on the fact that Mindy was too young to be trained in ninjitsu. Even Cassandra had little luck in convincing her. Cassie had spent a good two hours the day before over at the smaller house, trying to convince her daughter about the wisdom of such training. Raph didn't know what words were exchanged between them, but one thing was quite clear. After it was all 'said and done', Cassie made a rather tart comment to him after she stormed out of the smaller home. As she came whipping by him, she seethed, "She's as stubborn as her 'old man'!" and then huffed off into the forest to cool down. Raph had smiled after her, quite amused by the woman's irritation. To see her undone by her own daughter gave him quite a chuckle.

Later, when she returned to the house, Cassandra told Leo that he was going to have the battle of his life convincing Gabby about their granddaughter's training. She grouched just before leaving to go back to Carmel, "I wish you all the luck in the world – and you're gonna need it, that's for sure!"

After Cassandra left, Leo had excused himself to the forest. There, he spent the remainder of the day and part of the evening in meditation while within the forest's sanctuary. When he returned, Raph had noted a determined expression on his brother's face. It was obvious that Leo had made a decision and it wasn't going to be pretty, certainly not well received by most in the clan. Yet, he refused to say what it would be, sequestering himself in his room upstairs. In fact, he was still there as Raph stood at the patio door, looking out at the family.

Soon, Raph noticed Seth coming back up for air, foreshortening his own form of meditation. His son-in-law did a few laps in the pool and that was when Mindy noticed her father.

With the toddler's patience running out and seeing her father in the pool, Mindy decided that she would rather soak herself than soak a bunch of 'boring' flowers. At least, more or less, that's what Raph heard her say as he walked outside.

"I tired of dumb fowers, Rana," Mindy explained as she picked herself up off the grass, "I go get in da pool wit Daddy, now!" Without any further word, she made a beeline for her father, squealing at the top of her lungs, "Daddy, I go swim'n, too!"

Instead of just dealing with it, though, Riahna took quite an offense to Mindy's words. Grabbing up her vase and flowers, she stormed towards the house. As she passed by Raph, he could hear her muttering angrily, "…not ever having children, ever!" Raph chuckled a little and silently agreed with her. With Riahna's temper, any child of hers would be a handful that much was certain. He highly doubted she would ever marry, though, considering the lack of available mutant males. She had skillfully overcome most of the behavior problems associated with autism and seemed normal on most days. Still, she would occasionally lapse into the old routines of walking around the edges of rugs or repeat certain words over and over again. Those occasions were far and few between, however, and for Mike and Rahab, it was a blessed relief.

Mindy was now in the pool, with Seth showing her how to do a backstroke. The child was quite water worthy, but her favorite swimming technique was primarily the dog paddle. However, it was quite apparent that the child was a natural swimmer, picking-up on her father's instructions rather well. She floated on her back for a bit, the way he told her to, and then kicked her feet while splashing the water everywhere. Swinging her arms up in rotation and then over her head and back down in to the water again, Mindy pulled herself along through the pool. She giggled as Seth followed beside her, using his tail for maneuvering. In protest, she complained, "I don'ts haves a tail, Daddy! Not fairs you has one!" Raph smiled, imagining the pout on her face as she complained.

While Mindy was in the water, Raph noticed that Gabby was keeping a careful watch on both her daughter and husband. Despite appearing to be relaxing in the chaise lounge, she seemed unusually hyper-vigilant. It wasn't that Seth was careless with Mindy, as he was probably a better parent to the girl than her natural father would have been. Yet, it was quite obvious from earlier that Gabby and Seth were still at odds over Min's training. In fact, in the next moment Raph heard confirmation to that fact. He could hear Seth instruct Mindy to 'ninja' kick the water harder, and then, in the next moment, Raph heard Gabby declare, clipping each enunciation, "Choose a different word, Seth. I will not put up with THAT word being used around _my_ daughter!"

Seth bristled, "It's not a swear word, Gabs, so keep your shirt on!" Then, in the next instant, he declared, "And she's as much mine as anybody's!" He then turned his back to his wife and focused more on his daughter's water antics, clearly not happy with Gabby's insinuations.

Raph sighed as he was just as offended as Seth had been by Gabby's remark. Still, he did have a soft spot for his daughter. He supposed Gabby couldn't be blamed for her narrow view of what ninjitsu was. After all, she hadn't grown up in the clan. Most of her understanding about what ninja were about or what they did was based entirely from the movies she had seen. That and the bit of fighting she had been involved with before Mindy was born. Raph was actually quite proud of the way Gabby had negotiated with Rama the day before at the shop, using words rather than physical force. Just talking Rama down from the blood rage and then getting her to give her weapon up was an impressive feat in and of itself. Raph knew there had been times in his life when he would not have responded as Rama had. In fact, there was never a time when he had gone that far into his ninjitsu where even Splinter could reach him.

Deciding that she needed a bit of a reality check, though, Raph strolled further down the steps and sat down by Gabby in the chair next to hers.

She had sensed his approach, not even having to look his way. As he quietly sat down, she warned him, "Don't even start. Don't even try going there. Mindy doesn't need to be ninja and that's** final!**" Gabby informed him sharply. She then turned towards him, steeling herself against whatever reply he would give to her. However, what she sensed, instead, was a kind of serenity that seemed quite uncharacteristic for her father.

"I wasn't going say anything, Gabs, but since **you** brought it up…" Raph knew by his presense that she would, too; he could sense her retort building up before he had even reached her. He then challenged her, "I thought you were against training her so young, but to not train her at all? Gabby, really, you must understand…" However, he was cut off before he could protest any further.

"I've changed my mind…I don't want her trained at all – period!" Gabby declared defiantly. "After what Rama did yesterday, that's the last thing I'd want for my daughter."

Raph held back his growl and, instead, asked her with strained patience, "That last thing she might find out is the need to know ninjitsu, but by then it would be too late to teach her, Gabs." He shook his head at her and asked, "I have to wonder if you want Mindy weak and defenseless for the rest of her life?"

"We don't have to know ninjitsu to be strong! In Rama's world where fighting is an every day occurrence, then it might be necessary. We haven't needed to fight since the invasion." Gabby pointed out "Even before that, based on what Don told me, we've been accepted. You train because it kept you alive, it's something you've been doing long before…" she paused as she saw the look on her father's face turn from a passive to a warning expression, but she forged ahead, just the same, "..well, since before you left the **_sewers_**. I don't agree with that tradition, so - I'm breaking it," she explained hotly, turning her face away from him. She looked over at Mindy as the child splashed and played in the pool, so innocent and pure. _"How can any of them want to train such a precious child to kill?" _she moaned quietly.

Raph decided to ignore her statement about the sewers and adjusted his seat. Leaning around her so he would catch her attention, he stated, "Look, Gabby, it may be true that we don't have to fight as much as we did when we were kids." Gabby huffed and gave him a sideways glance. Raph continued, "Still, Mindy is going be dealing with people who may not accept her for who she is. One day, she might be on her own where she would have to defend herself and then, without the skills, she could be in a very threatening situation." Raph then said more firmly, "Prejudice for what we are is still out there, Gabs, it still happens to us," Raph thought of what Mike said the day before about the threats to Don's health, so he added, "We just do a good job of keeping that fact from you, is all, just so you can relax and enjoy life a little better here in Big Sur."

Gabby gave him a quizzical look and seemed to cool down a little. Raph nodded slightly, relieved that at least she seemed to be listening. Softly, he explained, "I know you resent the fighting and killing aspects of ninjitsu, but there is a great deal more to it than that."

"You could talk things out, like I did yesterday." Gabby shot out defensively, "I find it hard to believe that people would rather fight than listen to reason. Things can be solved without resorting to violence." she huffed resolutely. Gabby recalled what Rama had said yesterday, about needing to know ninjitsu in order to survive in her world. It might be true and necessary there but **not** here in hers!

Soft spot or not, Raph had just about enough from his daughter. Between her insulting insinuation with the word 'ninja', to her ignorant comments about why he did the arts in the first place, Gabby was basing all of her feelings on only one event. Without even viewing the whole picture, she had decided over the clan's opposition that Mindy would be exempt from training. "_Heck, she's even overstepped Leo,"_ Raph inwardly seethed. He decided right then and there that it was way past the time to enlighten Gabby to some serious facts regarding clan life.

"I've already said that not everyone is going accept us, Gabriella!" Raph pointed out as he picked his words carefully. He turned to face her head on, "In defense of your point of view, for the most part, yes, we are accepted by the human population, complete with citizenship and all the perks that go with it – including paying taxes. Yes, we can use our ninjitsu for talking ourselves out of dangerous situations. However, there are times when those things fail and we have to use other means." Raph explained, "Those guys who beat me up in San Fran a few years back? That's what I'm talking about. They didn't like me because I represented what Don is – a mutant turtle and a successful one at that! One of them probably had some experience with the Foot, but we weren't able to prove it. Still, it was a good wake-up call to watch our backs, no matter how much in taxes we pay! That episode was not the first time someone tried to deep six me, either! In fact, my dear…" Raph leaned towards Gabby for emphasis, mere inches from her face. He saw her eyes widened ever so slightly as he bore his gaze down on her. He went into full intimidation mode as he explained, "Don's one and only girlfriend, the one and only woman he had ever slept with and whom he was intimate with, tried to kill him – and would have succeeded if Thomas hadn't have sensed something was wrong!"

Gabby's eyes widened even more, "H- how?" she asked him.

"She was a Trojan Horse, a specially trained kunoichi whose sole existence was for one task and one task only. In this case, she was specifically trained to infiltrate Don's heart and assassinate him. She failed, though, thank God."

"What happened to her? D – did you ….?" Gabby asked but Raph cut her off.

"She committed seppuku, killed herself, which is also what she was trained to do – whether successful or not."

Raph had Gabby's attention rock solid and, knowing that he had, he continued, "Don has met quite a few adversaries in business transactions where the participants only wanted to bait him for the sole purpose of disposing of him. He can handle himself pretty well; better, in fact, than he did when we all lived in New York. Yet, there are times when all else fails and he's forced to use other means. It's then, Gabby," and here, Raph leaned in even more, locking his eyes on to hers and showing a side of him she had never seen before, "when I'm the one Don calls to go in and do 'clean up'. You might say that 'clean up' is a nice little euphemism for 'executioner'. When it's necessary, Gabs, I do what I have to do."

Gabriella gasped and pulled away from him. She had sensed this fact about her father before, when Leo was questioning her about Rama after the disaster in Carmel. Now, hearing her dad say it and doing so with sincerity, frightened her. Rama was correct, after all, that her Uncle Raphael and her father had more in common than Gabby wanted to believe. Refusing to accept it, though and with a voice that was small and contrite, she exclaimed, "You're nothing like Rama's uncle." The more she thought about it, though, the more she believed she was right. Gabby then said a little more insistently, "I know you. You wouldn't harm a fly!" Yes, maybe he would protect her and the rest of his family if push came to shove, but to go and do what he just said he did outside of protecting the clan seemed out of character for him.

Snorting at her naivety, Raph exclaimed, "That's where you're wrong, my daughter. I have killed, many times, most of it while we all lived underground and were fighting to stay alive, much the way Rama's family does. But I've killed since then, as well, but only as a last resort. We always find better ways, life saving ways, before going to that extreme." Raph studied the girl, seeing her revulsion as she took in his words. "Never did we ever arbitrarily take a life unless – that life proved more _dangerous alive - than dead!"_

Now, hearing nearly the same words coming from her father's mouth as Rama had used the day before, Gabby's eyes widened, "Y-you really did all of that?"

"To ensure our existence? You bet and I'd do it all over again to make sure you and your family were kept safe!" Raph sighed as he saw how his words might have very well ruined what leverage he had going. He added quickly, "Gabby, ninja training isn't just about fighting and killing. It's about protecting and caring for those within the clan and using skills to do it with. Yes, sometimes what we learn in ninjitsu helps to keep us alive. Yet, it's about learning to control that skill, too, and to seek better alternatives to fighting." He sighed, "Even Rama, as talented and as experienced as she is, is having to learn that lesson."

"That's just my point, Father!" Gabby declared defiantly, "With all that she knows, with all the times that she's supposedly been in battle, with her experience – as you just pointed out – Rama, out of all of us, should have at least taken a breath before doing what she did yesterday! It just proves my point that what you know is dangerous if the right situation presents itself!"

Raph glared at her and he knew that she was going to have to learn the hard way. He knew that Leo had come to a conclusion how best to handle this situation and if his suspicions were correct, Gabby was going to be deeply hurt. "Look, Gabs, I'm trying to get through to you before Leo does, 'kay? Please reconsider? Otherwise I can't be responsible for the outcome. You need to back off and let Leo decide what's best for Min."

However, in Gabby stubbornness, she gave him a stony-faced stare. She refused to accept his advice. Clipping her words, she replied hotly, "Well, I don't care what Leo has to say. I'm still _adamant_ about this. At the very least, Mindy's too young, that's all there is to it!" She then stood up and angrily walked back to her house, glaring once at Seth who then challenged her in return with one of his own.

Raph could only look heavenward and throw his hands up into the air as he groaned in exasperation. He commented to no one in particular as he stood up in a huff to go back inside the house, "Cassie, you're right, you're absolutely right!"

Later on that afternoon and just before dinner, Leo called Raph and Mike out to the forest for a 'run'. Both brothers knew that he had been wrestling a great deal all day over Gabby's position regarding Mindy's training. They knew that he had come to a decision how best to handle it, but he had kept it to himself – until now. As they all took off into the forest, both Mike and Raph looked at each other as they sensed the weight of what Leo was about to tell them. It was obvious that Gabby had left him with no other choice, but what he had decided to do was still a mystery. Raph did have his suspicions, but he kept mum, deciding that to assume anything at this point would be a waste of time.

As they ran along through the trees, Raph asked, "So, have a place in mind for our meeting?"

"Yeah, the Sanctuary." Leo answered quickly.

Mike looked at Raph and whispered, "Must be pretty grave stuff if he wants to get that far away from the house!"

Raph could only agree with a nod of his head as the three of the jogged along the forest floor.

After a while, they came upon the mount where the grouping of trees grew. Once they ascended the hill and were finally inside the natural enclosure, Leo indicated for them to sit down in the lotus position. It was dark inside the Sanctuary, but neither of them needed light to conduct this bit of clan business. They were all well versed in night movements, their own naturally born night-sight keenly developed through their training. Leo then did as his brothers and sat down. He began, "I've been giving this problem with Gabby a lot of thought and consideration. Finding a solution has not been easy. As it is, what I've decided has been a difficult choice for me to make, but it is in the best interest of the child and her future within the clan."

"Hey, bro, we totally understand!" Mike offered, laying a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. Though he did sympathize with Leo, there was a large part of him that would have liked nothing more than to live normally like most people did. Mike's days of fighting were behind him and, as far as he was concerned, he never wanted to look back. Still, considering who and what they were, any member of the family not trained or lacking innate defensive skills, were a target waiting to be taken advantage of. Even Rahab, with her tail and hooks claws, was a formidable adversary.

"Yeah, try as I could to talk to her, Gab's just won't budge." Raph commented. He had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, yet his daughter left not an inch of room for debate.

"I know and it's only made things worse where she's so stubborn about this." Leo admitted. "It's imperative that Min begins training and as soon as possible. She will be four in a few months and starting school next year. She needs the basic foundation of ninjitsu before that happens. The discipline of silence about who and what we are needs to be taught to her. Therefore, we can't wait a moment more. You both know that it takes time – and testing!"

"So…what are you going to do, then?" Raph asked. He sensed that the way Leo was introducing his decision said it would be difficult for more than just himself to accept. The way his brother was building up to it, he wanted it to be known that it was his only option, that it was not done without a great deal of thought.

As Leo began to tell them about the decision he came to, both Mike and Raph sat there almost numb with shock. Raph sighed as he realized he was right and it pained him. He was hoping that his brother wouldn't take to extreme measures, but he knew it was the only way with Gabby so determined. Then, Leo spent a good thirty minutes explaining to them his reasons, the history around it, and how best to go about it.

"I will give her a few days to adjust, to plan, and to accept it, of course." Leo commented as he finished.

"ADJUST? Leo, Gabby's not going to adjust to this. She's gonna throw the biggest fit of her life!" Raph exclaimed.

"It can't be helped, Raph. She's painted herself into a corner and this is the only way." Leo insisted, "You don't think I've agonized over this!" he nearly yelled, "Hell, Raph, Mindy's my granddaughter, too! But, her mother – excuse me for saying this – Gabby's too much like you! Even when the facts are presented to her, once she's made up her mind, she won't relent or give up. It's to her credit since its that part of her personality that allowed her to recover from what Jason did to her. But now…now it'll hurt her more than that." Leo sighed, "I'm just worried that if Min doesn't get the foundation under her within the next twelve months, her formal education will get in the way. You know as well as I do that will happen."

Mike nodded, "Yeah, it does. The school down the way from us is a big believer in lots of homework, even for first graders!" He sighed, "Gaele managed about three days a week for dojo sessions once she was in third grade. If it hadn't been for starting her when we did… As it is, she sort of neglected her understanding of it with that girl who was harrassing her back in college."

Raph sighed, "You mean the one where Gaele broke into the records department at Cornell, just to get this girl's home address?"

"The one and only! Yeah! Boy, was Don ever pissed at her about that!" Mike groaned. "Kept riding me later about it how I 'obviously' didn't instill enough respect in her about our heritage and that maybe I need to spend some time over in Japan at the ryu. Gad, thought I was never goin' to hear the end of it." He noticed Leo smirk a bit, obviously quite amused with the recollection.

Raph finally agreed, "Yeah, guess Min's training can't be delayed." Then, turning to Mike and changing the subject a little, "Hey, did Don ever reinstate Gaele back into the clan?"

Mike shrugged, "Not to my knowledge, he hasn't. Guess I should confront him about it, but to be honest – she's too busy at his lab to keep her katas up as it is. Not like the old days, bros!"

Still, Raph hated the decision that Leo felt forced to make, yet he had to agree with him. Whenever Gabby was told, he knew that life around the compound was going to change and in a big way. Maybe going back home to San Francisco before things hit would be better, yet he knew that as a senior member of the clan, he had to be present. It wasn't going to be pretty, that much he was certain of.

Finally, he asked, "When do you plan on telling Gabs?"

With a heavy heart, Leo replied, "Right after we're done here. I'd like all of us to meditate for a while, though, to center ourselves so we react to Gabby in the way that's best for everyone."

Mike thought that the only way any of them could react would be to get out of her way. As he thought about that, he mused to himself, _"Hell hath no furry than a mother who's pissed off!"_

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: yes many things come later on so keep reading for answers to those questions of yours. You are absolutely right about that saying as well only I was tired when I wrote the last chapters comments and my brain wasn't quite awake and up to working at that point in time. I knew it wasn't quite right even when I wrote it but it was the only connection I could make. Brain dead zombie that I am._

_Hopefully this update is quick enough for you. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: We confuse you. You confuse us. Fair trade we are even then. Nothing weird in liking to see what characters are thinking, it only helps to understand their feelings and gives the reader a better understanding of who the character really is._

_As for your question thank you so much for bringing it to our attention. Neither Reinbeauchaser or I thought of that little loophole that you spotted so easily. Having another set of eyes is a great help. Now thanks to you we were able to address that situation and hopefully tie things up nicely that way._

_A very large gratitude for your insights._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS: _**

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, so many questions and just so many answers – most of which you'll have to remain faithful in reading in order to discover. LOL Yeah, I understand about the pillow calling my name…I should be there, now, as it is but I want this chapter up and running by morning. Ah, poor Shay! Yes, I do have a heart for her…and Ramica knows this. What prompted that poor girl to live the life she did, make the choices she made, only to make the worse one of all that sentenced her to death. I could wax philosophical right now with that topic, but I won't. Suffice it to say, stress and pressure often push us to do things that under normal circumstances we wouldn't think of doing. Still, Shay did fulfill the role as a good bad person! HA! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Well, crazy is as crazy does! Glad we're in good company! We're thankful that you like the chapters where there is more thought than action. Have to have those once in a while, otherwise the readers might collapse from exhaustion. Well, as you know, your question to me prompted a need to fix a plot hole. Suffice it to say, it's plastered good and tight and hopefully satisfied that need to have all ends tied up nice and pretty! I like bows, myself. Hmm… As far as Rama's time in the dojo, she's been down that extended meditation road once before. However, I do have to say that this one will be a bit different, in more ways than one! Bwahahaha! Oh, the meaness of it all…. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	37. A Parent's Worse Nightmare

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Let it be known that Homosapians Eastman/Laird and nobody else own the following Chelonian Martial Arts Warriors. Associated mutants are owned by Wendy A Peabody, with the exception of Rama, Gabriella, and Mindy, which are owned by Ramica and Reinbeauchaser. We only write the stories that feature said chelonian and mutant characters. The following chapter is Gabriella's fault – honest. We only recorded the events. :0_

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**CHAPTER 37 – A Parent's Worse Nightmare **

Gabby just stood there, stunned speechless. She felt as if she was in the middle of a nightmare. Yet, as the realization of what they had just told her began to sink, it only became worse. A feeling of drowning washed over her as she tried to make sense of it all. As silence filled the den, the other three who stood before her waited patiently for her to respond to their unexpected arbitrary decision. Gabby could only stare back at them in mute shock.

Weakly, she mentally repeated the amount of time Leo said he would have Mindy in Japan._ "One year… twelve months of not seeing my daughter? What am I, a cat or a dog, where you can just take my child away because someone thinks she's old enough?"_ What made it even worse for her was that Seth apparently had sided with the senior members of the clan. From what Leo had told her moments ago, they had met with her husband beforehand, telling him about their decision before meeting with her. That was the coup de gras for Gabby, that Seth would betray her like that. She suddenly felt dizzy with all that Leo had declared, forcing her self to focus on remaining upright. By his expression alone, however, she knew that any amount of begging she might try to do would not change his mind. At that same moment, the unborn child within her began a series of kicks and jabs, reminding her that, soon, she would have a newborn to care for while Mindy was away.

Still, all Gabby could squeak out in reply to Leo's declaration was, "But – but I want her to bond with the baby!" She hoped in vain that it would be enough of an excuse to prevent him from doing exactly what he said he was going to do.

"Yes, I know, Gabriella…but it has to be this way." Leo responded softly and then rationalized, "I'm sorry; but you left us with no other choice."

"Left _you_, you mean." She glared at Raph, "I can't believe my own father would be so eager to get **_rid_** of his granddaughter!"

"KNOCK IT OFF, GABS!" Raph shot out, completely beyond patience, "This is for Mindy's benefit, not mine, not yours, NOT even Leo's." He was not too happy about the decision, either, but as a senior member of a ninja clan, he saw the wisdom in it. The decision made perfect sense where his daughter was so obstinate against his granddaughter's training. She would end up becoming a deterrent to Mindy.

"Oh, really? Mindy's benefit, you say?" Gabby was finally coming out of her shock, finding her sarcasm once again and looking at each of the three turtles, "Is it for Mindy's benefit, or the clan's? It seems to me that she's being forced to sacrifice more for the clan than for herself."

Right now, Gabby believed it was more true than not. After all, Leo wanted to take her child far away from the only home she had ever known and away from the rest of the family. It didn't matter to her what ninjitsu tradition Leo was implementing on her daughter's behalf. To take children away from their families, especially at such a young age, was barbaric and cruel. So what if that's the way clans did things centuries ago; these were modern times, times for rational thinking and not moronic practices! It didn't seem right that he would do this to his own granddaughter, especially when the child had never been away from the family before in her short young life.Gabby could feel anger beginning to rise to the occasion as words began to form in her mind.

"I won't let you take her from me – I WON'T!" she yelled defiantly. Clenching her fists by her side, she felt her whole world topple as she considered what Leo had decided to do… no, what he had _wanted_ to do. "She's only a baby, Leo; how can you take care of a baby when you've NEVER even raised a child yourself!" she spat out angrily. She knew that Leo was an absent father for most of Seth's upbringing, only becoming involved whenever Seth would visit Japan or on the rare occasions when Leo would visit the states. She knew the circumstance surrounding her husband's conception and it was that, alone, which hindered any further involvement with his father. In that moment, though, she saw Mike flinch at her words and ever so slightly shake his head towards her, as if to warn her.

Leo took a few quick ninja steps toward her, causing Gabby to flinch involuntarily in response. He then admonished, "That's quite ENOUGH, _Gabriella_!" He leveled his eyes at her and leaned in, brandishing his ninjitsu intimidation, "You will not **_back-talk_** me again. You will show **_me_** and the rest of the clan respect!"

Not deterred from his posturing, though, Gabby seethed defiantly with Leo's face mere inches from her own, "And **_what_**, pray tell, could you do to me if I **_don't! _**Throw me to the floor? Banish me for a week? Take my television away from me!" She drew herself up to her full height, still at least an inch shorter than the one standing before her. It was then that she heard her father stifle a cough, as if he was covering up something else entirely. It mattered not to Gabby, though, if he found some humor in her posturing. She was still pissed off at all of them and she would not let Leo intimidate her.

Then, as if they were ignorant of the fact, Gabby declared defiantly as she steeled her expression against the clan's jonin, "I'm **pregnant**, Leo, and with your grandchild, no less, your _full-blooded_ grandchild, in fact! There's not a whole lot that you can do to me, so you can threaten me as much as you'd like." She fumed at him with her eyes blazing "Yet, tell me something, Leo? When Mindy acts up, will you threaten her like you're doing me?" Gabby knew her child would be distraught after being ripped away from her familiar surroundings. Knowing the way Leo could be sometimes, his daughter-in-law had to wonder if he would be able to exercise compassion or understanding with Mindy. Especially, now, where he was showing not a bit of sympathy for Gabby's preferences regarding her own daughter.

Leo looked hard at Gabriella and scowled, narrowing his eyes threateningly. Yes, indeed, she was _very_ much like her father when she had her mind made up. Still, Leo had authority over her and he would exercise it, despite her defiance. He would not back down now, certainly not with the way she was posturing herself against him. Regaining his composure once again and straightening back up, he said evenly, "It has been decided, Gabriella. The clan is in agreement with this. There is nothing you can say or do which will change that fact." He looked at her and smiled thinly, "As I stated earlier, you have two days in which to pack her things and prepare Mindy for her move to Japan. Whether you do this or not, will not influence when we leave. Two days, Gabriella; I suggest you make the most of it."

With that, Leo and his brothers bowed curtly. Straightening up to his original position, Raphael looked at Gabby as she began to realize the futility of her situation. With a pained expression, he saw and felt the panic welling up within his daughter. Yet, he had tried to warn her earlier, to get her to reconsider. Silently, he had to agree with his brother that she was just as stubborn as he was - a nightmare for certain, but only for her as it was turning out. It was quite apparent that Gabriella would have to learn the hard way about clan life, just as he did years ago.

Then, without saying another word, the three ninja left the den, leaving Gabby by herself as she seethed and fought back her tears.

"_He won't take her; I won't let him. How can they even think that this could be good for her? She's not even four yet; what about her birthday; what about the baby…." _Gabriella kept ranting and lamenting to herself until finally she could do nothing more but to slump down on the couch and cry into its cushions. "What am I going to do?" she bawled. She looked back over at the doorway with her tear-stained face and wished, now, that she had not been so stubborn about her daughter's training. As she thought about it, she wondered if maybe she should go to Leo and apologize to him for being so disrespectful. She could not believe that she had actually talked back at him like that. She had never shown such disrespect to her father-in-law before. Maybe if she did apologize and then tell him that he could train Mindy, he would keep her here at home. She gulped, truly sorry for her posturing, and reached out with her senses. Immediately, though, she could feel Leo's own, since at that moment he was analyzing her! He already knew, even then, what she was thinking. Holding on to that thought for a moment, she waited, hoping that maybe she would feel some charity in his position; that he would show compassion. However, it soon became quite clear to her that he was just as determined and resolute as she had been. It was quite apparent to Gabby that not even a formal apology and a reversal of her attitude would work this time. In complete frustration and grief, she mentally screamed at him. Then, she shut him out as she quickly brought up her emotional wall.

Now, she was all alone.

What made her angrier and more isolated was that her own husband had agreed to it. _"How can he just let his father do this – Jonin or not! This is his **daughter**, his…okay, so maybe not his flesh and blood, but still, he loves her; I know he does!"_ Gabby just could not stop rambling, her grief near to breaking her heart. To think that Seth agreed to this atrocity was appalling. She knew that, now, without a doubt, she could not even rely on his help. Seth should have been standing alongside of her on this issue and backing her up. Instead, however, he bowed to his father and the clan's wishes. "Who did he marry, Leo or _me_?" she spat out angrily in a strained whisper.

She felt the child within become more active, kicking and punching her ribcage and causing Gabby to grimace just a little. "You're the only consolation in this horrible ordeal, you know that, sweetie," she sobbed aloud as she rubbed her abdomen, calming the unborn baby. "Guess in a month or so, we'll know if you're an Ashley or a Jordan, eh?" Gabby smiled a little as the child calmed down once again, settling in to rest as its mother began to relax just a little. She was truly looking forward to this particular birth, where Seth was the father. It wasn't that she didn't love Mindy, but her daughter's conception had been a violent one. Still, Gabby was quite aware that her negative moods increased the baby's activity and, lately, the child had been quite active. _"I need to calm down, but how can I when everything is thrown at me all at once?" _she moaned. _"I need to think of how best to deal with this, what I can do about it._" Gabby also realized that she had to think fast because she didn't have much time. Leo said she only had two days, which meant that whatever she decided on doing, she had to plan quickly and very carefully.

Gabby remained in the den for quite a while as she thought, crying at times, while at other times staring vacantly at nothing in particular. She paced the room at one point, ending up in front of the bay window that overlooked the front yard. It wasn't much of a front yard. Not where the expansive cobblestone driveway circled around and back again in front of the house. It allowed for an easy drop-off and return to the main highway whenever anyone in the family was chauffeured. Lamenting to herself, Gabby wished she had braved driving lessons, rather than relying on Seth or the others to get her around. _"Really could use a license right about now!"_ she mused ruefully. As it was, it would have been difficult for her to procure keys to any of the nine vehicles parked in Mike's ample garage. Considering the confrontation she had a while ago, Leo would never allow her off the property. As she thought about it, she knew that just walking off with Mindy would not happen either, not without a lot of resistance and confrontation from the clan. She had tried to do it once before only days earlier and had failed miserably.

Then, an idea came to her like the sun exploding out from behind a month's worth of dark clouds. Gabby went to the secretary desk by the window and, noting the phone that was there, checked the contents of the desk's drawers. She still had her mental 'wall' up, however, so she easily sensed that someone was coming. In a split second, she determined who it was. Not wasting a moment, Gabby hurried over to the couch and quickly reclined upon it, closing her eyes while she slowed her breathing.

Soon, Rahab appeared at the doorway and noticed that Gabby had fallen asleep on the couch. Dinner was ready and long overdue. Yet, it was quite apparent that – for the moment - her daughter-in-law needed rest more than food. She also knew that something was up, but Leo had refused to tell her anything about it. She knew that Gabby was fighting the clan's decision to have Mindy trained and realized that a confrontation was gradually brewing. However, before the meeting, Leo had asked Rahab to stay up stairs and out of earshot. That alone had caused her quite a bit of concern. What was it that they had decided to do regarding Mindy? It only made Rahab quake with trepidation. Earlier and before Leo asked her to go to her room, Seth had refused to answer his mother's questions concerning his meeting with the senior members of the clan. Yet, what affected Rahab most was her son's downcast mood when he first came out of the den. She became quite suspicious about it, too, when he took Devon aside and the two brothers walked out to the pool area to talk privately. She followed them but stayed inside the house, observing her sons from the kitchen window. It wasn't long after that when she had seen a shocked look appear on Devon's face and it was then that her own fears took root. Whatever it was that Leo had decided on behalf of her granddaughter, it was not going to sit well Gabby and most likely, with herself as well. Rahab was certain, though, that she would find out at dinnertime what transpired in the den. Now, watching her daughter-in-law sleep and noting her tear-stained face, Rahab sadly closed the door to give Gabriella some privacy and peace.

As the door latched closed and she heard the click, Gabby sat up. Though she still had her emotional wall up, she allowed just a bit of her senses to reach out to 'see' where everyone else was. She found that they were all gathering at the dinner table, including Seth and Mindy. She could tell that her daughter was quite active, calling upon the family to pay attention to her. The little girl was a great distraction from normalcy at times, especially around the dinner table. Seizing the opportunity, Gabby began to plan. As she kept her senses on alert, she felt Rahab's own mood suddenly tank in that moment. It was obvious to Gabriella that her mother-in-law was just learning about Leo's decision. Yes, Rahab would add to the distraction, much to Gabby's relief. _"I need all I can get for what I have to do."_ Gabby smiled a bit as she knew how uneasy Leo became around Rahab whenever her mother-in-law had a fit. Whenever Mike's wife was irritated and riled up about something, she was quite formidable. Considering Leo's plan to move her granddaughter nearly eight thousand miles away, it was a good bet that Rahab would be expressing her opinion for quite a while!

Gabby kept her senses moderately sharp, yet, subdued lest any ninja in the dining room became aware of her. For that part of her own training, she was quite grateful! In a ninja clan and being married to one, it was imperative to keep some 'activity' from wandering minds. She then stood up from the couch and walked back over to the desk by the front window. She stood there for a moment to reassess her plan. She knew it was desperate, but then Leo had pushed her to that point. Just thinking about not seeing her daughter for an entire year filled Gabby with panic, a panic that rivaled, if not overshadowed, what she felt when she had met Don and Raph for the first time. This was a feeling that initiated her need to protect her child. She had to consider what was in Mindy's best interest. She was determined that nothing would stop her and not one person would get in her way. Gabriella recognized her firm resolution that Mindy not be trained as ninja was just as solid as Leo's was to train her. Yet, as far as she was concerned, this family tradition had to end. After all, they lived in a sensible civilized world where people used words to settle their differences and not swords. She was not going to let her daughter suffer for Leo's stupidity by allowing him to train her according to what he said was clan tradition

Resolutely, she took a deep breath, pulled open the bottom drawer again, and then took out the yellow pages.

Flipping through the book she stopped at the T's and then ran her finger down the page until she came to a name. Smiling, she then picked up the phone and dialed the number, keeping a sensory watch-out for any mental intrusion.

She was thankful that the den was far from the formal dining room, where everyone in the family was eating dinner. The last thing she would want was for someone to hear her right now. After a few rings, she heard the other end of the phone pick up.

Once the person identified himself, she softly asked into the receiver, "I'd like to hire a taxi, please."

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_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_

**_TB Reader_**_: thanks for your many reviews while you caught up to the story. Hope Reinbeauchaser and I have answered your questions and that you do stick with us. A gratitude for your many insights._

**_Danceingfae_**_: You could be right, there is definitely plenty of steam in the next few chapters, at any rate, someone just might end up in hot water too, though I'm not promising any thing. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: Gabby is very much as stubborn or worse then her old man. Unfortunately, she feels she is in the right. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Yeah I think Gabby could teach a mule how to be stubborn. Now I best bar my door before she pays me a visit. Course I could always sick Rama on her.** Rama:** That is what you think. You are on your own with Gabby will serve you right! Okay maybe not then. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Gemdrive2000_**_- Well you can tell that you were right on all counts. Thanks for the heads up on the error. I spotted it myself and sent Reinbeauchaser a quick e-mail before going to work. By the time I got home, she said you had also informed her. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TBREADER_**_: Wow, I'm so impressed with how committed you were to catching up – then, again, maybe 'committed' has two meanings here? LOL I'm only kidding. I hope that between Ramica and my self, our assistance with your questions have helped you to stay with us. Not sure about where you are on the rating change that's coming up, but if there is a restriction of sorts at your end, just let us know and maybe we can fix things. Two ideals we want to maintain is to stay true to the story, as it's unfolding, yet make it readable for those who have been faithful to this story. Obviously, there are many ways to write a scene or a series of scenes. Nevertheless, thank you so much for giving us a boost in enthusiasm, as well as reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Yeppers, the stress levels are near to imploding…so glad we are writing this rather than living this! :0) The 'bee' thing was iffy. My son works for public safety, so I was peppering him with questions and if something like this would be so easily accepted. Obviously, Cassie's rep as well as Mike's would come into play. Being above reproach does have its benefits, needless to say. As far as that proverbial volcano blowing, it just did with this chapter. However, the repercussions are what we should all be concerned with, now, me thinks! LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, the curse of parenthood – is having your negative traits show up in your kids! As for my site address re: the other 'Gabby' stories check out Fanfiction – it's the only one I have. I've tried to number the series a bit, to help those who prefer starting at the beginning. If you need a background on Rahab's life story, Ziptango's website has all three of Wendy A Peabody's fics – as well as Yosutebito Daughter. I'm quite humbled she put Gabby's story on her site, believe me! :0) I'm also a C2 Manager for TMNT's, just sighed up in fact. (As if I need more things to do, right?) Feel free to staff it! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH_**_: Hey, thanks for reviewing! I really appreciate feedback, both constructive as well as praise-centered. Ah, always the Leo-fan, even when he's being tough. Not sure what you think of him now! Bwahahaha…some readers hate him right now, for how hard he has been on Gabby. She's just as hate-able, though, with how obstinate she's becoming. If you're at all familiar with Yosutebito Daughter, she was like that in the beginning before Don and Raph picked her up from the Professor. Obviously, this is part of her personality, which was somewhat subdued after she arrived at Mike's with all the posturing ninjas she had to face! Only when she's royally PO'ed does she get like this! LOL Either way thanks for the kudos and for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Thanks for that bit of beta reading! Really appreciate 'catches' like that! :0) Oh, stubborn is as stubborn does. Raph is probably rolling his eyes and wondering if he was ever that bad. I can just see Mike elbowing him in the plastron and telling him that Gab's a walk in the park compared to what they all had to put up with from him! LOL Gabby's PO'ed and it's that which causes her to get mulish. As far as what she will do, well, we know one thing – she may not have a license to drive, but she knows how to get someone who does! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	38. Desperate Measures

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: We claim not a penny of ownership of the TMNT's and associated OC mutants, other than Rama ( Ramica ), Gabby and Mindy ( Reinbeauchaser). We do express appreciation to Eastman and Laird and for Wendy A Peabody for allowing all of us at fan fiction to write about the turtles and the other mutants. _

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**CHAPTER 38** – **DESPERATE MEASURES**

Thirty minutes later after hanging up the phone, Gabby continued to tremble as she stood by the secretary desk. With what she had just planned to do, she knew her actions would have dire repercussions with the clan if they caught her. Still, she refused to back down, even with that fear closing in on her. She made sure that the dispatcher knew of her destination, telling the girl about her uncle inviting her to Hawaii while he recuperated from his marathon meeting. The Islands would be her diversion and she would make certain that the taxi took her to the usual terminal for outbound flights to the islands. From there, she would take a tram to where Don's terminal was. Before the first cab would pick her up, though, she would have already made a phone call to alert her uncle's flight crew. With the two-hour drive to San Jose, it would give the pilots enough time to reach the airport and have the jet prepared for take-off. Then, arriving at Don's private terminal, she would board his Lear and head east to Connecticut. Although it had been a year since her last visit, her surrogate father's house was still in her name, thanks to Don. Right now, it was going to be her sanctuary until she could contact Serena.

Gabby had talked with her half-sister the day Rama was enjoying April Fools. From their conversation, Serena had told her that she was going to be in between gigs for about six weeks. In fact, she gave her American sister an open invitation to visit if she was up for it. Therefore, Gabriella knew that Serena would take her in and would probably pay for the plane fare to England, as well. Yet, Gabriella felt a bit of trepidtation where she had never traveled intercontinental before. Still, she was so desperate to save her daughter that Gabby would do just about anything, anything at all, in fact, to ensure her plans were successful.

_"Seth! He'll know almost immediately that something's up!"_ she cautioned herself. _"I need to make sure he doesn't interfere." _She wished that her husband had backed her up on this issue, but it was obvious he had stronger ties to the clan and their tradition than to her. Considering their archaic position regarding training Mindy, Gabby now believed that she knew what was best for her daughter. Therefore, she would do her utmost to prevent Seth from learning about her plans so that he would not be able to stop her.

As she tried to calm herself, Gabby moaned just a little. How she wished that her mother had not agreed with the clan as she had done. It was quite a shock to learn from Leo that, after he had called Cassie and explained his decision regarding Mindy, that Cassandra ended up aligning herself with himIn fact, when she was told about the conversation, it nearly undid Gabriella.With all the damage that Rama had done to the shop, she was certain her mother would side with her. Learning otherwise was a disappointing blow all the way around.

_"What is so darn special about learning how to hurt people?"_ Gabby seethed. Despicable as he was, she would never forget how she nearly killed Jason three years ago. Don forcing her into ninjitsu training had influenced her negative attitude quite a bit, this she knew. The only good thing that came out of it was overcoming her fears and then being able to assist in the attack three years prior. Yet, it was still something that she loathed to do, despite her inherent abilities. _"If it weren't for motherhood and being pregnant, I'm sure Leo would have had me in Japan a few times!"_ Shaking her head sadly, Gabby then went back to the problem concerning Seth, trying to devise a plan to keep him out of the way.

Later, as she came out of the den, she steeled herself for the walk back through the house. Considering the hateful feeling she had been harboring for the past hour, it was a given the entire ninja clan were aware of them. Despite how she felt, though, feeling such hatred was not something she enjoyed doing. Yet, she knew that anger was the one emotion that could effectively conceal whatever else was brewing in her mind. Consequently, she had meditated a bit beforehand, praying for strength to make it without someone – namely, Leo – sensing her plans. Gabby knew that he would be assessing her and, so, she mentally kept telling him off, hoping that, with her volatile state of mind, she would distract him from suspecting anything. "_If Leo can't sense what I'm up to, then Seth probably won't be able to, either," _she decided confidently

Either way, the next few moments would let her know if it was even possible to fool a ninja master like her father-in-law. She really didn't dislike him; in fact she respected him a great deal. Yet, she felt it offensive that he would take an arbitrary position against her regarding her own daughter. Where it concerned Mindy, Gabby felt she alone knew what was best. Therefore, taking a deep breath, she advanced towards the back part of the house where the kitchen and family room were.

Much to her relief, she was surprised to find that all of the ninja members of the clan were outside under the patio heat lamps. They were chatting and carrying on, laughing even, which only irritated her. _"Fine bunch of ninjas; rip a mother's heart out and then sit around the '**camp fire'** telling stories!"_ Gabby glared at them and snarled in response. However, as she came around the corner of the foyer and into the family room, she saw that Rahab and Riahna were there watching television.

"Hi, honey…you okay?" Rahab asked as she saw Gabby. She quickly stood up from the couch and went over to give her a hug. She was quite aware of how her daughter-in-law probably felt.

"No, but does it matter?" Gabby seethed as she hugged her back and then said, "Seems we women are subjected to whatever the _ninja_ men decide!" she offered sarcastically. She then shot a scathing glance towards the patio area and sniffed a bit indignantly.

"Oh, it's going to be okay, Gabby." Rahab explained. She was not at all happy about the decision, either, and had even expressed her point earlier at the dinner table. Yet, once Leo made up his mind - well, the similarities between him and her ex were all too close for comfort. "I'm not pleased, either, just to let you know." Rahab hugged her once more.

Gabby was aware of this for she had sensed her mother-in-law's anger while still in the den. She had welcomed it, in fact. It only made it more difficult for Leo to discover what she was planning. With Rahab spouting her opinion, his attention was on calming her down rather than monitoring Gabby. "Well, I'm glad to hear that, but little good it does me, I'm afraid."

"Maybe if you apologized and allowed him to train Mindy here?" Rahab asked, hoping against hope, yet she already knew the answer based on the discussion at dinner. Still, a part of Rahab felt bad for offering false encouragement to her daughter-in-law.

"No, it won't make any _difference_." Gabby snapped, "He's already sensed that from me right after the meeting in the den. He completely dismissed it. I'm without any hope or rescue with this one." Gabby headed over to the kitchen, "I need something to help me sleep, though. I just know I'm not going to get any tonight or the next, for that matter_." _She sighed as she added, "I could reallyuse the rest too, now more then ever. With all the extra stress and not sleeping well to begin with, I feel like I'm at my wits end. Plus, being as far along as I am, it's more pressure than I feel like handling for the moment."

Rahab offered as she came around the counter to assist her daughter-in-law "We have some of that tea Leo makes."

"Do you think it's safe for the baby?" Gabby asked as she rummaged through the cupboards. The tea was exactly what she wanted, but she decided play coy in order to offset any suspicions.

"Oh yes, very safe. I had some while I was pregnant with all my kids. That last trimester is so tough, isn't it?" Rahab smiled as she pulled open a drawer and retrieved a small tin box.

"With Mindy, it was. Seems worse this time, though – and I wonder why THAT is!" Gabby complained irritably.

Rahab asked, "Do you want some now?" as she began to fill a small plastic zipper bag with some of the dried leaves.

"No, I'll fix some tonight before bed, though." Gabby replied, adding, "Having a few days supply will do me, I think. Sleep isn't going to be part of my routine for a while, anyway." She felt just a little guilty for deceiving Rahab, yet she also knew the tea would do the trick in putting Seth out of action. It was something she desperately had to do and she knew that deception was necessary if her plans were going to work. Besides, with everything else going on, Rahab wouldn't suspect a thing. As Gabby thought about it, brewing a double dose of the tea would have Seth sleeping in no time. However, she had to wait until it was later on in the evening, just before retiring. It was then that she realized Mindy would be in bed by that time. Knowing her daughter as well as she did, she decided that her daughter would have to have some of the tea, as well, but in a smaller and more diluted dose. She would have to be careful, though, so that Seth wouldn't discover she was drugging their daughter. Gabby would have really preferred not using the tea on Mindy. Still, she knew it would ensure the child's silence while she pushed her out to the main highway in her stroller. The last thing the mother would need as she sneaked off property was for her loquacious toddler to start babbling like a parrot while they made their escape. Thankfully, Gabriella was the one who fetched the child's water at bedtime.

Rahab fixed Gabby some warm-ups from dinner and then the two of them returned to the family room. As the three women began to chat, Gabby did her best to change the topic. She knew it would be a while before she was able to see either one of them again, yet she had to be careful how she behaved. The worse thing she could do was to act nervous. Talking over casual subjects would seem normal and so they talked about a great many things, each of them steering clear of what happened earlier in the den At best, the conversation seemed stunted, as if they were trying to converse around an elephant that was standing in the middle of the room. Still, Gabby did her best to cool down her ire to allow the dialog to flow normally.

After a while, the other members of the family trailed back into the house, one at a time. Seth was first to come in. He saw his wife in the family room and, with Mindy in his arms, he went over to consol her. At first, she refused his touch, standing back and glaring at him. Not wasting any time, she let him know that she was quite unhappy about his allegiance. "The least you could have done was to support me!" she grouched.

"I'm not going to discuss it here, Gabs," he whispered to her. "I did argue it, but it makes perfect sense where you have been less than cooperative. Besides, it's only for a year!" He looked over at his mother and saw her scowl disapprovingly at him. Seth could only roll his eyes and sigh, thoroughly frustrated.

"Only a year…?" she hissed derisively. However, before she was able to further her complaint, Leo, Raph, and Mike came back into the house with Devon bringing up the rear. Her brother looked over at her, caught her gaze and grimaced as he sensed his sister's disdain. Shrugging a little, he looked away again, but not before Gabby noticed a sincere sadness on his face.

Quickly kissing his wife, Seth stated, "We can talk about this later; it's time for us to go home, now." He then wrapped his arm around her shoulder to guide Gabby out of the family room and passed the others.

It was a hard thing for her to do, to allow her husband to kiss her in front of everyone. Considering how she felt about him right then, Gabby would have preferred smacking him along side the head and demand, _"What am I to you, chopped liver?" _Yet, even with that thought, as non-violent as it was when compared to ninjitsu, it seemed excessive by her standards. She would have rather yelled at him that to hit him. It still took all of her resolve to do as he directed, though, angry as she was.

As they walked passed the other clan members, Gabby deliberately snubbed her father and uncles. She scowled, angrily, not willing to give them even an inch of forgiveness for the kind of grief they had meted out to her. Raph tried to reach out for her, to hug her, but she turned deftly away from his attempt. Yet to Devon, she allowed just a bit of her panic and frustration to show. He smiled a little in response, as if to bolster her, and she greedily accepted his compassion. Still, she had to remain indignant with the others as well as her own husband. With Seth, she had to play the irate wife. Even being angry with him was an expected response. Not that it was a hard thing for her to do, but Gabby knew by acting any other way would cause too many suspicions. She was certain that Leo had already told her husband how volatile her reaction had been to his decision. Consequently, the way she was treating Seth would make him none the wiser when she fixed him his customary evening beverage. Yes, maybe she thought ninjitsu was distasteful, but there were certain aspects to it that she was not above using!

Later on and well after they had put Mindy to bed, Seth and Gabby were relaxing in their living room. They were having their evening tea before retiring.

"Say, isn't this my dad's recipe?" Seth asked as he sipped from his cup.

"Hm hmmm…I thought it would do us good to get a decent night sleep for once. That is, if Mindy cooperates!" Gabby replied glumly. For a moment, she stared out across the living room towards the window that offered a view of the larger home. She focused on her anger and allowed it so spill over to her husband to keep him clueless about what she was really planning. She noted his apprehension to talk about Japan, so, after taking a sip of her own tea, she casually stated, "I'm still pissed off at your father. If he thinks I'm going to learn respect this way…"

Seth cut her off, his voice stern and direct, "Look, if you hadn't been so stubborn, Gabby, maybe Father wouldn't have had to make that choice!" He knew his words were a bit harsh as he saw her narrow her eyes. Still – as he thought about it - Gabby had really forced the issue. It irritated him that his wife had felt she was the only one suffering. How could she not see that Seth was going to miss Mindy, too? He dearly wished that Gabriella had not been so persistent in her defiance with his father. That, more than anything else, had convinced Leo that taking Mindy far from her mother's influence was the only way. Gabby's rebellious attitude was the ninja master's confirmation that she would be a major stumbling block to the child's training.

However, she just ignored Seth's comments as she sipped from her cup – and waited. She looked out at the house and saw the outdoor lights to the patio go off. The soft illumination from the ground lighting was all that remained, allowing a gently lit path between the two homes. Looking at the clock on the fireplace mantel to her left, she saw that it was nearing eleven. _"Once the tea takes affect, he'll be heading off to bed."_ She thought to herself. _"Then, once he's asleep, I can take my time getting packed." _

If there was one aspect about ninjitsu that Gabby understood, to be deceptive one stuck to habits to throw off any suspicions. Therefore, with that in mind, she struggled to a stand with Seth helping her a bit where her pregnancy impeded her agility. Once she was vertical, she then walked over to the windows to shut the blinds. It was something she did each evening before going to bed. After drawing all four sets of blinds, Gabby returned to the couch and resumed her seat next to her husband.

He looked at his wife and sighed as he saw the hurt, the anger, and the fear in her face. He knew how much she loved Mindy, but there were other feelings she was obviously not considering. "Look, Gabs, I know you're still angry and I don't blame you," Seth offered softly, trying to make up for the harsh words he had said a moment earlier, "But, I'm going to miss Min, too. I love her, Gabs, so much that…" he looked away and then back to his wife again. With a voice that was nearly breaking, he continued, "Just thinking about her getting on in the world without knowing how to defend herself, it just scares me to death. The year in Japan will be educational for her, believe me. It'll be like insurance against any intrusion from the outside world." He sighed as she continued to look away from him. Seth then wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her into him, gently taking one hand and softly turning her face towards his, "I love you, Gabs." He kissed her and then pleaded, "Please don't hate me." Tears filled his eyes as he gazed upon her. Gabby's own breathing hitched a little as she sensed her husband's despair match hers. It nearly undid her resolve, making her doubt whether she was doing the right thing.

With tears brimming her own eyes, she replied honestly, "I – I don't hate you, Seth. I only hate what your father is doing." Gabby could never hate her husband, not ever. Yet, she knew that even though Seth might be able to cope with Mindy being so far away and for so long a time, she could not.

She allowed him to continue holding her, letting him kiss her affectionately, allowing his hand to rest on her protruding abdomen. He smiled as he received in response a healthy kick from their unborn child. Looking back at his wife, Seth and crooned, "I love you, Gabs, and it's just as hard on me, too. I'm just crazy about Min, but she'll be fine with Father. He has a way about him. I remember when I was five..." Seth then launched into a brief recollection about when he and his mother flew to Japan to visit with Leo and Splinter. It was a story that Gabby was quite familiar with. At that time, he didn't know that the ninja master was his father. Yet, there was something about the way his 'uncle' treated him that said otherwise. "He was very patient with me, always encouraging me to ask questions, never raising his voice at all. My dad knows how to get the best from anyone at any age! Trust me!"

Gabby hardly paid any attention to her husband's words while he had talked on about his trip to Japan. What he experienced when he was five wasn't anything like what their daughter was going to endure. At least, at that time, Seth had his mother with him. Mindy, however, will only have Leo. To compare that brief visit Seth had with his father twenty years earlier to the twelve months their child would live without either of them, was an oxymoron at best. How can there be any similarities? Gabby doubted if Seth even understood the differences.

Seth hugged his wife, kissing her deeply, and then declared rather suddenly afterwards, "Wow that tea worked really fast this time." He yawned as he felt the pull of sleep tugging at him.

With her anger returning and her words dripping with sarcasm, Gabby declared forcibly, "Maybe you're more tired than you think? After all, it must be hard work to agree with the jonin!" Gabby slowly turned towards her husband and stated, "It'll be a long while, Seth, before I get over this – more than likely, I will never get over it nor will I **_ever_** forgive your father for what he's about to do! He's taking our child away from us." She turned away just a little, her voice hitching with emotion, "When Mindy comes back, she won't know her own sibling and she probably won't even know us that well. Oh, she may remember us but…" shaking her head, she said defiantly as she looked back at her husband again, "No, Seth, I can **_not_** forgive this."With that, she pulled out from her husband's embrace and struggled to a stand, excusing herself to their room where she prepared for bed.

Shrugging his shoulders, Seth mused to himself. "Yep, I can already tell that much!" He sat there for a moment and rubbed his face. Clearly, this was going to affect their marriage as well as life in general around the estate for quite a while. The best hope he had was for their new baby to take the edge off from Gabby's attitude. As he stood up, he sighed in tired defeat and then headed off to the bedroom, as well,

Later, as Gabby snuggled under the blankets, she felt Seth slip in beside her. She lay on her side, her most comfortable position with being eight months pregnant, and faced away from her husband. He slid up next to her and wrapped himself around his wife, nuzzling the back of her neck through her auburn hair. Gabby ignored him, doing her best to resist his romantic ministrations. She knew if she didn't, her resolve would cave and that would be the end of her plans. Therefore, as hard as it was to do, Gabby snapped, "I'm not in the mood, Seth."

She felt him relax his efforts, huffing lightly and then reluctantly rolling back to his side of their bed. She could feel his eyes upon her and sensed a deep disappointment coming from him. Yet, she remained firm in her decision. "Good night, Seth."

What followed her comment was silence. It seemed deafening as Gabby waited for him to respond. Just as she thought that maybe he would just ignore her and go to sleep, her husband finally replied, "Night, Gabs. Hope, by morning, you're in a better frame of mind." Seth then turned away from his wife and yawned once more as the tea began its work.

Gabby whispered expectantly, "Oh, I'm sure I will be."

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_Pretender_**_: At least someone understands Gabby's viewpoint. I'm sure Gabriella would appreciate knowing she has somebody's sympathy at the moment. As for what Rama thinks wait for it. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: We actually started with a fairly long chapter and decided to break it down a bit as not all readers care to wade through long chapters, some just don't have the time for it, so we opted to make it shorter for ease of reading. The old saying of you can't please everyone all the time is in effect here, we just do our best. Seems Leo can do no wrong with you. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB Reader_**_: Yeah, know your feeling about R stories I steer clear of a few of them myself. I take no offense at you skimming through His True Love, reading only the few parts you were interested in, and I don't mind your honesty. Whatever works for you. Hope you enjoy the mission you will be going on. Take Care and a gratitude for your insight___

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**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Oh, Rama will have some comparisons to make, you can be sure – especially with how Gabby manages to get Min off property! Talk about Deja Vue! :0) Well, as far as being thrilled to go somewhere neat, keep in mind that Mindy is not even four. Do you have nieces and/or nephews? Take any of them away from their moms and dads for a few hours and they start missing them quickly enough. At that age, they're not quite old enough for overnighters at grandma and grandpa's. So, just imagine a whole year and then being so far away that crying for 'Mommy' will only get you Grandpa – who took you away in the first place – and you can have bedlam in a hurry! However, this is the way ninja used to train their children. Selected toddlers were taken from their homes and raised in clans where the sensei was their parent and the other clan members their brothers and sisters. Sad bit of history, but true! With that said, Gabby's panicking, more so when she realizes that no amount of apology for acting so disrespectfully will get her father-in-law to change his mind. Leo's doing what he feels is best for Mindy and Gabby feels just as strongly about what she is doing. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

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**_BETH HART_**_: Regardless about how horrible Leo is to Gabby, you're still a die-hard fan? We tried, we really did to make Leo seem so heartless, but – goodness gal – you're just too faithful! LOL Naw, just kidding. Glad you stick by your turtle! :0) Anyway, there's more to Gabby's defiance than just plain – defiance. She had a really bad experience with that fight three years prior, if you read YD and if you caught her conversation with Rama. It goes very deep and will be eventually be cauterized, but not for a few chapters. Right now, she's panicking and for good reason. Anyone try to take my kids away from me and see what kind of a fight they'd get! Believe me, it wouldn't be pretty. Anyway, Gabby is a lot like her old man, when she gets her feet planted and her mind set. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Well, you have our response re: the rating and we will try to comply with your request. Won't be hard to do where we'll just leave out some things. I'm quite thrilled that you have taken on such reading projects of late; made my day to get all of those reviews! :0) Well, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	39. Escape

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: (sung to the tune of yes, we have no bananas): 'Yes we own no ninja turtles. We own no ninja turtles today.' Wait a minute that isn't quite true. Ramica, well, tries to own Rama but Rama takes offense to it. And Reinbeauchaser owns Gabby ( I'm sure Gabby takes offense to it too) and Mindy ( Mindy is too young to be offended.)_

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**CHAPTER 39 - ESCAPE**

She stood apprehensively, shrouded within the trees' shadows that were born from the deepest part of the night. She shivered just a little, but not because she was cold. Though Gabby was glad that she had worn her coat, more than anything her trembling was due to nerves. She occasionally would look back up the private road, half-expecting to see headlights or, worse, sense someone coming. After several moments of false starts, she forced herself to dismiss her imagination, willing it to rationality. So far, her senses told her that she and her daughter were the only ones from the family who were out of bed. Therefore, gulping in anxious anticipation, Gabby returned to waiting impatiently by Highway One and wondered why the cab was running late.

Earlier, she had trudged the long private road out to the main gate. Once there, she worked the controls to open it, knowing that Mike had cameras situated there. However, she ignored them. By the time the family would know she was gone, it wouldn't matter anyways about the cameras. A part of her wanted to scowl up at them, as if to reemphasis her disdain for what the clan was planning on doing. However, her need to make her rendezvous was far more important than expressing herself in that moment. Besides, it saddened her to leave the family; she had grown to love all of them very much. Still, even that wasn't enough for her to allow them to train Mindy.

Walking along the dark road towards the highway, Gabriella realized then how unlike her father and uncles she was. She knew they would have felt right at home within the ebony shadows of the forest, but not her. She wanted light, she needed light, yet her desire to keep her daughter from ninjitsu was greater than her fear of what lurked within the darkness. Never had she ever walked this road, as she was always a passenger in a car when traveling it. Now, as she thought about the creatures of the night, especially about cougars, she kept her senses on high alert.

Although she was quite tired, she finally arrived unmolested at the highway a while later. Gabby slipped herself and the stroller easily into the shadows that were there at the entrance to the private road. It ran south a bit alongside the main highway before it doglegged east into the interior of Mike's estate. Any driver heading north would never have a chance to see her and where she stood, those traveling south would have to be looking for her in order to have even a glimpse. Gabby was nearly invisible to the curious, or nefarious, passersby.

It took her only a few minutes to catch her breath, allowing her to relax just a little as she set in to await her ride. As she waited, she heard the crash of waves only a hundred yards away as the ever-roiling Pacific Ocean spent its energy against the rocks below. She thought of the beach only a mile up the road that Mike owned. Despite her original fear of the ocean deep, Gabby had learned to enjoy its shallower waters. She still preferred just to sun herself on the sandy beach. Yet there were times, before she became pregnant again, that Seth could entice her to go surfing with him. She decided early on that couple surfing with her husband was far more fun than doing it solo. At least, Seth could 'drive' while she went along for the ride! She smiled a little at the memories her thoughts conjured up but then Gabby sobered quickly, realizing that those days would probably be no more, not where she was in the process of running away.

It was then when she had called Don's pilot. The phone conversation she had with Captain Williams was what had Gabby quite concerned. It wasn't that he hadn't been willing to meet her at the airport. After all, her Uncle Don was always taking off at odd hours and he would give not so much a two-hour warning before needing to leave. He paid his pilots well enough that they didn't seem to care in the slightest, either. However, much to her surprise and dismay, Gabby had discovered from Williams that there was a curfew for jet activity at San Jose International. Where she was hoping to be in the air by no later than four in the morning, she learned she would have to wait another two and half hours before the pilot could get clearance. To make matters worse, the pilot would not be able to get there until four at the earliest.

"Will the airport let me in before that time?" she had asked him worriedly. Where could she go if she couldn't even get into the terminal? Driving around the city seemed pointless and, given the hour, she doubted very much she would even find a diner opened. It made her very nervous.

Much to her relief, though, the captain reassured her, "Ma'am, you can arrive any time of the day or night, you just can't take off between eleven-thirty P.M. and six-thirty in the morning. I'll get one of the attendants there to welcome you. That way, they'll have a room ready for you to relax in until I arrive." That was the best part, as far as Gabby was concerned. She knew that Don's staff would bend over backwards for her and the one thing she would need by that point was a bit of comfort.

Williams had then launched into a game of 'twenty questions', trying to find out the reason for Gabby needing a flight out of town at that hour. It wasn't as if the family was in the habit of using Don's planes on a regular basis. Consequently, the pilot was just a bit suspicious.

"Look, it's a family understanding that if any of us need to be somewhere, Don's given us rights to use his jets. Isn't that correct?" she had asked him somewhat impatiently.

"Yes, ma'am, that is true. However, I'm accountable to Mr. Tello as the jet belongs to him." The pilot explained. "As you might agree your need for one of my employer's planes is quite unusual."

After several more minutes of debating the issue with him, Gabby finally convinced the captain with her story of having her house in Connecticut up for sale. According to what she told Williams, the supposed buyer had a set time that he could view the house, so she wanted to be there as early as she could to spruce things up. She told Williams that she was so busy trying to pack things for the trip, that this was the earliest opportunity she had to call him. Yet, concerning the time restrictions for taking off at the airport, Gabby was starting to lose some confidence in her plans.

"Guess I'll just have to call the buyer and have him swing over a little later than he wanted to. Looks like I'm staying the night in Connecticut." Gabby replied with a sigh. With genuine frustration, Gabby's performance regarding the house was what finally convinced Captain Williams of her story. Shortly after that, she was able to end the call.

Now, she berated herself for not contacting Williams earlier. Yet, she knew that if she had, there would have been a good chance the pilot could have alerted Mike, if only to confirm things. Fortunately, because of the late hour, she knew he would not be calling the house just yet. It was one of the reasons why she had waited before making the call in the first place. If the pilot had called the house, Gabby knew beyond a shadow of doubt that she would not be standing next to Highway One right now, waiting for her cab. Leo would probably have had her under house arrest and, more than likely have Mindy in his or Seth's exclusive care. Now, she didn't know what to do. She knew it was a gamble, but rather than waste precious time trying to think of where else to go, she decided to just head for San Jose's airport and make the best of it. Since it was a good two hours away, it would be to her advantage – and give her some time to think. Even if Seth slept until four, he would have to figure out where she was and then get his family up and going. That would have him leaving the house maybe by four-thirty and with rush-hour traffic snarling the highways by five or five-thirty, his chances of being stuck in it were quite good. Consequently, she still believed her plan was do-able, if not guaranteed! Unless the family figured out how she was getting out of town and where her true destination was. In which case, she would be dead in the water.

_"I know I can think of something else if it comes down to that!"_ she assured herself quietly. She could only hope that in telling the cabbie about flying commercial to Hawaii, he would then relate that information to the clan. When and if they figure out how she was able to get off property, Gabby prayed it would be enough of a diversion to keep them busy. Not having a license and not knowing how to drive, taking a taxi was the only other option for her – and she knew that Seth or Mike would come to the same conclusion.

Now, with Mindy sleeping peacefully in her stroller and with a blanket snug around the child, her mother fiddled with the cell phone that was deep within her right coat pocket. Gabby felt the paper that was also there. On it, she had written the pilot's phone number, gleaned from Seth's personal phone book she had procured while her husband slept. At the time, she had noticed Don's cell number in the book and a list of other numbers that represented hotels that he frequented. One was for the Hotel Hanyku in Osaka, Japan, where Don was supposedly staying. She hadn't thought of it then, but now, as she waited, she wondered what was taking him so long in getting back from his trip. Maybe things had become more complicated, as his business dealings tended to do occasionally. Gabby suddenly thought about his estate just up the road. With her plans changing more than she wanted, she considered the possibility of hiding out up there instead of flying out of town. She knew his staff would welcome her gladly, where she had visited off and on since the house had been completed eighteen months earlier. Yet, how to keep them, as well as the cabby who would take her, from telling Mike or the others of her presence would be difficult. Loyalty was an attribute that was part of Don's employees' resume' and it would have alerted them to trouble if Gabby demanded their silence.

Suddenly, she thought of something else. Pulling the phone out from her pocket, she flipped the lid open. With its face now illuminated, she quickly pressed the 'off' button. _"My luck, Seth might notice my phone missing and then try to call me – and I'd probably end up answering it like a dummy!"_ She laughed a little at the irony and then went glum at the thought of not seeing her husband again, "at least, not for a while, anyway." She moaned softly. Gabby swallowed a little, reflecting back three years prior where she and Seth were newly married. They were so happy, then, even with the history surrounding Mindy's conception and all. Gabby was so in-love with her husband, that it made her quite giddy. Actually, he still did that to her. Yet, no one had ever told her, not even during her ninjitsu lessons, that the clan would demand Mindy's training at such a young age. She remembered the history lessons, about how in the old days the clans would take children away from their families. Yet, she considered that it was just history and not as a matter-of-fact. _"Such a barbaric practice. How awful," _she though sadly.

As Gabby continued to wait for the taxi, her impatience mounted with each passing minute. More than anything, she was afraid that someone from the house would eventually have sensed her leaving or at least felt her absence. Though she could shield her mind from intrusion under normal circumstances, she was concerned that, in her haste to get to her rendezvous point, she might have relaxed her concentration just a bit. Consequently, she was anxious for her ride to arrive. As a result, her nervousness was causing the baby in her belly to protest as it gave her numerous jabs. It seemed as if it was already learning the ways of ninjitsu. _"Wouldn't that just please the clan to bits?"_ Gabby muttered sarcastically under her breath. She knew that as soon as the taxi arrived and she was on her way, she would be able to calm down and thereby allow the child inside of her to do likewise.

A few cars zipped by her as they traveled north and south along the coastal route of Highway One, giving her a start each time. However, they were far and few between. Nevertheless, all seemed unaware of the pregnant mother and her toddler child who waited alongside the roadway, hidden from view within the dark of night.

Finally, after waiting for nearly a half hour past the appointed time, a green car marked Metro Taxi pulled up. Gabby, however, waited for a moment, not knowing if it could be a trap. Considering it was late and that this was her uncle's taxi company, it was quite possible that, despite the hour, the company could have contacted the family anyway. The fact that she had just alerted one of his private pilots only added to her concerns. Since she had insisted the cab not call the house, she was still worried. Despite her story that her flight to Hawaii was to surprise her uncle, the loyalty issue was still a factor that worried her.

As she observed the car, she sensed that the driver was unaware of her situation or her presence, for that matter. Confident that he was ignorant of her need to get away, Gabby grabbed up her suitcase and stepped out of the shadows, pushing the stroller ahead of her. Still, her approach to the car was cautious.

The driver saw them immediately and tipped his hat. Upon seeing the child in the stroller, the man quickly jumped out of his car and whipped around to assist her mother. "Here, let me take that, Mrs. Angelo." He grabbed up the one suitcase and swiftly opened the rear of the taxi. Dropping the luggage inside of the trunk, the cabby came back around to help Gabby. She waited by the rear passenger door with Mindy already in her arms. Once the driver helped her into the backseat of the cab and closed the door, he then collapsed the stroller and slipped it in the trunk alongside the luggage.

Gabby startled a bit from the concussion the trunk lid made when the driver closed it. It was obvious that her nerves were still a bit on edge. As she watched the cabby come around and slip back into his seat, she looked down at her daughter. Mindy was still sleeping soundly, her angelic face soft and innocent. For moment, Gabriella thought about her home, about her family and about Seth. Her eyes suddenly welled up and a sizeable lump formed in her throat. In that moment, she wondered if she should cancel everything and return to the house. Running away was something she had done once before but with near disastrous results. Possibly, Rahab might have had the right idea, apologizing to Leo might get him to change his mind. Although he was quite determined to stick to his plans, Gabby wondered that if she asked for forgiveness in ninja fashion – on her knees – and uttered the correct Japanese phrasing, maybe that would make a difference. Just the same, she knew that if he should catch her returning to the house at this hour, he would know she had tried to run. Then, no amount of groveling would be enough. Leo would not only follow through with his plans, but he would safe-keep Mindy until such time he was ready to leave. By then, Gabby would have lost all advantages of escape.

Her thoughts were then interrupted as the cabby turned around to face her, commenting, "Best way to travel, ma'am…when their asleep!" he remarked with a smile, nodding towards Mindy.

"Yes, best way! You're right about that!" Gabriella agreed thinly and tried to smile in return. Settling into her seat, she looked back at the private road and wondered how long of a head start she really had. For a moment, she reconsidered a second time. Maybe by waking Leo up to tell him what she had planned on doing, by that measure alone, he might exercise some charity. Leo was always one that rewarded a change of heart, if Gabby's own training could attest to it. The moment a truth was accepted, he rewarded. Yet, right about that time Mindy stirred a little in her arms, mumbling some toddler babble and obviously dreaming. It was then that Gabby's mothering instincts became hard as steel. She stared down at her daughter and caressed the child's chubby cheek with her finger. She knew in that moment that leaving was the right decision and was best for Mindy. Speaking to the driver, the mother said, "I'm ready,"

As he began to guide the cab back onto Highway One, his passenger watched as the dark shadows of the private road changed over to the main thoroughfare. As the car accelerated, she turned around to face forward, determined to not look back again. She hated to leave, to turn away from that part of her life, but Gabby believed with her whole being that she had been given no other choice but to run away

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Rama knew by her inner clock that her period of isolation was probably nearing its end. She had possibly twelve hours to go, maybe less. So far, the enforced meditation had revealed many things to her. Interestingly enough, while she meditated, she had felt the familiar, yet irritating electrical charge in the air similar to what she encountered back in her world. She tried to ignore it, however, chalking it up to her long time with being in solitary. She explained it away to herself as being an energy surge that was probably created from her semi conscious state. Obviously, the length of time meditating had a lot to do with it. Therefore as she dismissed the tingling, Rama focused on what she had learned so far.

Most of the revelations that she gleaned from her extended time in the dojo was related to her whole behavior and attitude since she had arrived. Maybe she had agreed to the 'peace accord', but she really never accepted being in this world. Her relationship with Devon had helped, of course, but she still felt like a fish out of water. Rama knew that had she been in her own world, she wouldn't have over-reacted as she did at Cassie's. What the kunoichi had done in the shop and to an innocent person, no less, was truly hard to accept. Yet, she couldn't deny what she had experienced during that part of her ninjitsu, making her see just how deplorable she had behaved.

Rama knew that her problem stemmed from not fully accepting this clan, at least not in the way that they had accepted her. She found it difficult to fully become a part of them while she kept thinking and hoping to return to her own world. What made it worse was comparing her family to this one and finding fault with one issue or another. Now, however, her new relationship with Devon was making it very easy to accept the differences and for her to see that there was, yet, another path that she could follow.

While living with this family that was similar, yet different from her own, Rama had succeeded in maintaining her ninja training and the lifestyle that her clan accepted. Yet it did nothing to prepare her for when she had initially seen Gabby's mom. Her first thought had been to see the woman as "Shay." Yet, if Ramiela had trusted and accepted those who lived here as she trusted her own family, then she would never have attacked Cassandra in the first place. Based on their word, the woman was a friend and a member of the family through Gabriella. Rama never would have even assumed that they had betrayed her. If she had trusted them completely, then Ramiela would have seen and realized that this woman was accepted by them. Consequently, she would have taken their direction rather than her own. It was the lack of trust in Devon's family and Cassandra's similarities to Shay that had initially sparked the trouble. Actually, as she thought about it, if she had accepted this clan from the very beginning, she wouldn't have even fought so hard for her disguise.

Rama recalled when they were leaving Leo asking her what if she could not return home. That idea caused her a momentary unease, for she knew she would dearly miss everyone in her family. Not only would she miss her father and uncles, but Rama would miss her brother; her unborn sibling; her aunts and her cousins. Yet, she knew that the clan could probably get along without her with Kaliann most likely stepping in as the next Jonin. Her cousin was well suited for the job, anyway, where she hesitated before jumping into situations. She was much like her father, thinking problems through and then coming to a plausible conclusion. Leo's oldest daughter would do quite well in that capacity - that much Rama was sure of.

Meanwhile, here in this world, Rama would have the familiar faces of her father and Uncle's twins. She knew that Rahab and Mike would probably accept her as their own child, even though she was past the need for parenting. Having Mindy to train would give Rama a purpose and, just maybe, she could actually pursue a career outside of hunting down 'bad guys'! The more she thought about it, Rama couldn't deny that there was certainly a lot of perks to living here, Devon being the best one of all.

As she considered him, she realized that her dream of having a family of her own wasn't as impossible as she once believed. If she stayed here, she could marry Devon, and, between the two of them, build up a family. If Leo really couldn't find a way back to her world, then being here wouldn't be so bad after all.

She meditated a bit more, thinking deeper about Cassandra. As she did, one more advantage to staying in this world presented itself to her. _"I might actually find out what attracted Dad to Shay in the first place",_ she told herself. Rama had never understood how her father, who was so gentle and loving, could have fallen in with someone as mean, cruel and spiteful as she recalled Shay as being. Her mom and dad seemed like complete opposites to each other, yet Rama knew that her dad had loved Shay once before. _"There must have been some sort of connection between them at one time" _she thought ruefully. Maybe, through Shay's twin, she might learn what that was; possibly see what her mom had been like when her dad had fallen in love with her - before Shay had changed.

Finally resolving her inner conflict, Rama vowed that she would work hard to trust this family more. She would try to accept them in the way that they had seemed to accept her. The more she meditated on it, the more she was actually starting to miss them while she was in the dojo. Rahab's kindness, Riahna's quirky love for flowers, Mindy's giggly laugh and even Raphael's Spungbob voice, although it was now gone. Most of all, Rama missed Devon himself; very much, in fact. She hadn't even realized how much she missed him or how she had changed since Devon and she had fallen in love during her pranks on April Fools Day. Funny, it seemed so long ago and yet, it had only been three days. It was obvious that the isolation made the time seem longer. Still, she longed for him in more ways than she had ever thought possible.

Rama yearned for his voice and his touch. She missed the intense passion of his kisses and being near him and seeing him. The closer she came to the end of her time in the dojo, the more she thought about Devon and being with him once again. Yet, she was supposed to be meditating on what she did to Cassie and not on her beloved. Yet, the harder she concentrated on what she was supposed to be doing, the more distracted she became with thoughts of HIM. Rama sighed wistfully almost longingly and vowed that once she was out of isolation she would do things much differently. She gathered her resolve once more, determined to ease back into her meditation and force her thoughts of Devon to the back of her mind.

Suddenly, that strange tingling electric feel came back to her again. Rama recognized it immediately from only moments earlier, mirroring her first long meditative stretch two months earlier. She was now starting to associate it with her sessions. It seemed that every time _It_ would 'visit' her, she would become more in tune with the truth of what she needed to know. Consequently, she decided to welcome it. Allowing her breathing to deepen, Ramiela embraced the feeling like an old, familiar blanket.

However, in a quick moment, she suddenly had the strangest sensation that she wasn't alone in the room anymore. With her eyes still closed, it was hard to tell, but she could swear that she felt Devon's presence. Of course, that was impossible; for she was in isolation in the dojo. Yet, her heart still longed for him and she did miss Devon so very much. Just for that moment, Ramiela decided to take one of her breaks, just to see for herself if he was in the dojo with her or, if she was indeed alone as she truly suspected.

As she slowly opened her eyes, Rama realized in an instant that she was no longer where she should have been. Sitting on a carpeted floor, she didn't know quite where she was at first or how she had managed to even get there. Then, as she looked around, her eyes began to adjust to the darkness. In front of her she noticed a dresser. Then, just beyond that was what appeared to be a closet door. To the right of that was the entrance to what looked to be a bathroom, and finally – as she continued her visual scan of the room - a bed that was just behind her right shoulder. Turning herself around on her rump and raising her head up little higher. Rama peered up over the edge of the bed to see who was under the covers.

Deep in her heart, though, she knew.

Despite all reasoning and common sense as to how it could have possibly happen, somehow Rama had ended up in Devon's bedroom. Yet, worse than that and still much to her delight, Devon was there in the room with her, in bed, fast asleep, and completely unaware of her presence!

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A/N: For those of you who refrain from reading R rated stories, the next chapter will be rated as such. This is more cautionary than anything else. Personally, we don't think it merits that rating and would appreciate a critique from our readers along those lines. Just the same, we decided to play it safe and rated it R, just to avoid the heartache of having the powers that be in fan fiction rip it off the site if we didn't rate it high enough. We'd like to know if it warrants the rating or if we can drop it back down to PG13. While it is rated R, this story will only be found in that section from now on until such time that we feel the rating can be lowered. So, please review so we know what to do! :0) Thanks.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Planning is all important especially when trying to dupe ninja. I don't know if keeping Seth out of it for a long time would be a good thing or not. Gabby is right to want to protect Mindy, but in the long run is protecting her from it now only going make matters worse later? A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: Rama is in love with Devon so she might be willing to listen to him a bit more, so Leo could be safe going back to Japan. I know you don't want to see that. I believe Reinbeauchaser and I will be bringing Don back into the story soon too. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB reader_**_: Self defense is a very useful tool for many reasons. I know I enjoyed the lessons I took in it years ago, until my bad knees decided that they didn't like kicks. Anyway I have always claimed that I would rather know how to defend myself and **never** have to use it, then end up where I might need such a skill and not know it. Hope you enjoyed the newest installment. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lady-Christian-Knight-88:_**_ Well Rama might not be the only one that is ticked with Gabby for her actions, so she may have to get in line. Hope this chapter was quick enough for you. As for the rest of the story you will have to wait a while longer yet. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, yes, this was a chapter of introspections, wasn't it? Well, we need those once in a while. Planning does take time and to plan well, one must think much! LOL Seth is going to be taxed as far as his patience is concerned, that much is assured. By your admittance, you seem in favor of Gabby taking off….goodie, because we feel the same way. Nothing like adding a bit of adventure, eh? Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_LADY-CHRISTIAN-KNIGHT-88_**_: Wow, you're still reading this? Cool. What's happened to your story, 'Chapters'? I wanna know if the guys reconcile or at least get back together for family reunions and such things. Anyway, as far as if and when Rama becomes peeved at Gabby, we're still exploring that a bit. Yeah, there are similarities here to what she experienced with her mother, Shay, isn't there? Deliberate, absolutely! The rest of the story will take a chapter at a time, so guess you're going to wait at least until Friday when we update again. Yeppers, we have that many backlogged! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH HART_**_: Glad we FINALLY created some sympathy for Gabby in you!! Wow, that's a relief, believe me. Yeah, well, going ballistic is part of her nature, given her genetics and all. To be expected, basically. She has issues, big issues and the clan – and Leo – are going to have to carefully walk her through it. We're talking PTSD here and I know there are readers out there who understand that one so afflicted cannot be forced to just 'get over it'. It took Mindy's training to bring it out into the open for Gabby, basically, although Leo hasn't quite considered it, yet. Maybe Rama can enlighten him a little, eh? We'll see. Oh, if you've read Wendy Peabody's account of Leo and how she wrote him, you'll find that he prefers NOT going all ninja on her unless it's absolutely necessary. Read RAHAB and you'll understand this point of view. As for Donnie-boy, he's going to be brought back into the story – after we get done with Gabby; rest assured of that. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Escape? Maybe, maybe not – I'm mum's the word here until the next update or two. Gabby is reacting rather than acting, something that Rama knows all too well at this point. Again, it's a bit of a fallout from the battle in the forest in Yosutebito Daughter that she's experiencing. She's not ninja, btw, not yet, anyway. That distinction takes time, years of training, and commitment. Gabby has zero interest in such things, so she probably will be much like Rahab. I've e-mailed the answer to your question re: the second in the series. As for the video phone, my daughter has one, so it is reality – wow, can you believe that one? Sheesh….before too long, we'll have Med scanners like what Dr. McCoy on Star Trek used. Lear Jets are all over the place, especially the skies! LOL Hey, we love long reviews; says that you care! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_DANCEINGFAE: Ah, no, I've never heard of it before. Hmm…Well, might make a good song-fic somewhere, although I don't do them very well. Yeah, one would think she'd consider the benefits outside of how she's using ninjitsu, but as mentioned in one of the above comments, she's experiencing PTSD. I've experienced it only from what I went through with the 1994 earthquake here in southern. California. What happens is, you get a bit of a visit from what stressed you out originally, and then that's when the fight or flight experience takes over. This is what Gabby is going through. Once in motion, you have to see it through. Can't tell you how many times I went nuts after an aftershock. Though we're encouraged to stay inside, I beat everyone in my family out to our front lawn!! Believe me, it's very debilitating to be so controlled! Yeppers, suspense is certainly building and it will only get worse with the next three chapters! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._  
  
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	40. So Close and Yet So Far

**_DISCLAIMER_**_Disclaimer: Possession is nine-tenths of the law. We do not possess any mutant turtles with renaissance names. Obsessed with them yes, possessed no! As mentioned in the previous few chapters, this one is rated R for sexual implications, although one could arguably say it's only a major make-out session. You decided and then read and review to let us know:0) _

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**CHAPTER 40 - Temptation**

If Rama's heart could pound any harder, it would have jumped right out of her chest. She frantically glanced around. She knew that she was supposed to be meditating and she knew that, without a doubt, she hadn't physically left the dojo. At least, she couldn't remember leaving it. In panic, she suddenly jumped up to a stand. By her estimation, she was at the tail end of her two days in solitary confinement, with maybe less than ten hours to go. However, if Leo or any of them knew where she was presently, she was certain that they would tack on a whole week to her punishment. Yet, did she consciously disobey where she couldn't even remember leaving the basement? Wasn't she trying to regain honor and had every intention of carrying out her sentence to the letter? Even during her breaks, she only neared the stairs to pick up the one meal that she was given each day. How could she even get into Devon's room without remembering climbing the basement stairs, walking through the family room, or even ascending the steps up to the second story where she was now? As Rama stood there, she stared at the bed before her that held the sleeping form.

Trying to control her ragged breathing and attempting to make sense of everything, Rama swallowed nervously. She watched the steady rise and fall of Devon's chest as he slept. His face was relaxed and, as she looked at him, quite beautiful to watch. His blanket covered only his lower half, revealing his well-developed and _shirtless_ upper body. For a moment, Rama smiled and took him in with her eyes, longing replacing her fear. He was so definitely HOT! Then, much to her already heightened concerns and as if he had sensed her presence, his breathing rhythm changed. Still, she longed to go and be with him, feel his embrace and find comfort from him. Yet she doubted that Devon would appreciate having her in his room for the moment. He knew where she was supposed to be and, with Devon being the future jonin of his clan, he would know that his duty would be to adhere to Leo's orders. It was quite possible, though, that because of their relationship he might not inform Leo of her transgressions. Maybe he would even allow it to slide. However, it was all Rama could hope for, considering that where she was standing was considered forbidden territory.

Devon stirred a little more. Rama froze where she was for the moment, her eyes fixed upon him. She wanted desperately to be with him, yet she knew that it was better for her to get out of the room while she could and while Devon was still asleep. She would then attempt to slip back down to the dojo without disturbing anyone else, namely Leo. With his bedroom only a couple doors away, it was very dangerous indeed for her to tarry any longer where she was.

Still, the reality of what had happened to her had not quite sunk in yet_. "It's only a dream"_ she told herself as she smiled a little, _"You had Devon on your mind and fell asleep during meditation."_ It seemed to be a plausible explanation, yet, another part of her whispered, _"But, can you take that chance?"_

She stiffened slightly at that thought. If it wasn't a dream, then how she managed to get here wasn't half as important as getting back to where she belonged, with no one the wiser. Once back in the dojo, she could then figure out the 'hows' and 'whys' to her dilemma. Still, she tried to calm her emotions as she put up a mental wall between herself and Leo so he wouldn't pick up on her. She could only hope that by that effort alone, it would be enough and he wouldn't be alerted to her presence. Although Rama was counting on her sensei having enough trust in her not to assign guard duty in the monitor room, she was sure that he would at least have the recording cameras running. "_Great,"_ she muttered silently, _"now I have to check that out and fix it."_

Rama looked over at Devon once again and, to her horror, realized that he was definitely waking up. For a brief moment, she recalled her Uncle Raphael's 'Two Types of Trouble' advice. The trouble you'd get caught in and the trouble you didn't. This definitely looked like trouble she was _going_ to get _caught_ in.

Not at all convinced that she was dreaming, the kunoichi tried to hide and she would have succeeded except for not watching where she was going. In her haste and so upset by her situation, Rama accidentally bumped into the dresser in her attempt to hide. She bit her lip and groaned to herself, _"Why is it when I'm trying to be quiet, I end up giving myself away?"_ She quickly steadied the dresser and the pictures that were on top of it. Post haste, she then hid within the shadows that were alongside the piece of furniture. Rama looked over in Devon's direction and realized that it was obvious she had not been fast enough. Now, much to her chagrin, a pair of sleepy and squinting eyes was staring back at her.

With his brows pinned together as if he was trying to make sense of what he was seeing, Devon mumbled sleepily and asked, "Rama? Is th – is that you?"

Frightened and not knowing exactly how strict Devon would adhere to Leo's directives, Rama threw her voice, her tone a light, airy whisper, "Yesss…but it's oooonly a dreeeeam, Devon, a dreeeam of your hearrrt." She winced and rolled her eyes at her cheesiness to sound like an ethereal dream sequence. Yet, desperate times meant desperate measures and she was desperate enough to try it. She could only hope he was still enough between that netherworld of waking and sleeping that he would accept it for what it was and resume his rest. At first, she thought she had succeeded as Devon nodded sleepily in agreement and began to lie back down again.

However, before his head hit the pillow, he popped back up. "Wait, I know a dream when I have one…" Devon gazed around his room through narrowed eyes before they finally came to rest on her as she huddled in the shadows next to the dresser. Trying to keep his own voice down to a whisper, he snapped sharply as he glared at her, "Rama, just what are you doing up here? You are supposed to be down in the dojo meditating."

Groaning inwardly and shaking her head in defeat, Ramiela shrugged her shoulders as she stood back up, "I don't know, Devon." She moaned quietly.

He gave her a hard sceptical look.Keeping his voice low and barely audible, Devon fumed, "What'd ya mean you don't know? Are you brain dead? Do you know what Leo would do to you if he found you here? Hell, Rama, do you have any idea what'd he do to ME?" He looked at her and scowled, working the inside of his cheek as he soberly considered that fact.

"I know, Devon, but I really don't know how I got here. I was down in the dojo meditating and then I was just – here." Rama groaned, "for all I know I fell asleep during meditation and I'm just dreaming all of this."

Devon arched an eye ridge at her and, with a touch of sarcasm, asked, "Do you really feel like you re asleep and dreaming right now?"

"Since when in dreams do you ever feel like it was a dream? You usually only know about it when you wake up from it." Rama retorted.

"Look, Rama, if Leo finds you here he's going be mad at the both of us and then we'll both be in major trouble with him" Devon exclaimed, "so you'd better start making some sense."

Rama groaned inwardly. Devon's irritation wasn't helping matters and she threw her up hands up in frustration. Keeping her voice low, she declared, "That's just it, Devon; I don't _know_ how I got here or anything like that. One moment I'm down in the dojo meditating and the next I'm here. I know I didn't physically get up and walk out of there. In my meditative state I sensed you and thought you had snuck in to see _me_." Rama explained, "That was when I realized I was in your room. Yet, for the life of me I really don't _know_ how I came to be _here_."

Devon was confused as he sensed, above everything else, that Rama was being completely honest with him. He was certain that she really didn't have any idea at all. It was quite apparent, by her own confusion, that she hadn't left the dojo deliberately, at least not by normal means. Therefore, he softened his attitude a little as he looked at her and soondetermined in the shadowy stillness of the night her gradually rising fear. "Come here, Rama, it's all right," he whispered, "Just try and keep in mind while you _are_ here that _Leo_ isn't far off."

Rama did not waste any time; she had missed Devon terribly and was so confused about everything that had happened to her. She quickly went over and sat down beside him on his bed, immediately feeling the soft comfort of the mattress beneath her. It was in sharp contrast and a welcomed relief to the hardwood floor of the dojo that she had to put up with for almost two days. As Devon sat up to carefully wrap his bandaged left arm around her, Rama snuggled into his welcomed embrace.

He kissed her shoulder and then rested his chin on it, looking at her. She sat at an angle to him with Devon sitting up in a slightly turned position, his legs supporting her backside. He then leaned in and kissed her, holding her for a moment before asking, "Now let's try and figure this out together. What happened before all of this took place?"

"I told you I was in the dojo meditating, just as Sensei ordered." Rama replied firmly.

"Where - you thinking of anything in particular?" Devon inquired. He was becoming more awake, now, and so, he immediately shielded his own consciousness from his uncle. He had sensed Leo stirring just a bit in his sleep only two rooms away, so it was imperative that he and Rama not be disturbed. The last thing either of them needed was a longer separation from each other.

"My mind did sort of wander a bit," Rama admitted reluctantly as she blushed and then ducked her head to hide that fact.

Devon reached out with his left hand, placing it under her chin and turning her head towards him, "Thinking of me perhaps?" He saw her reddening face and knew beyond a doubt that it was true. He smiled a little.

She blushed once again, "Yeah, I know, that wasn't what I was supposed to be thinking of but…"

Devon chuckled as he rather liked the idea that she had been thinking of him. It pleased him quite a bit that he was on her mind. "And then what happened?" he asked her.

Shrugging, Rama sighed as she stuck to her story, "That was just it. I was meditating and I ended up here,"

Devon furrowed his brow a bit as he considered her words. He still couldn't see a connection between Rama being in the dojo meditating and then ending up in his room, regardless of what or whom she was thinking of. "Have you ever done anything like this before, Rama?" he asked curiously.

Rama thought for a moment before answering, "I think so - once, maybe even twice if you count my coming here," she said a bit hesitantly. "The first time was awhile before I came here. Sensei ordered me to do a full twenty-four hour meditation exercise as a lesson in discipline. I was tired and hungry and had just come back from a real gruelling patrol. However, my stomach's rumbling made it difficult to do what Sensei wanted me to do." Rama sighed and then continued, "Anyway, while meditating, I somehow ended up in our kitchen." Rama paused, "Don't ask me how I got there from my bedroom without someone in my family seeing me," she scowled slightly as she straightened her back a little. "Actually, Sensei and my dad were in the next room, because I heard them talking. Still, I decided to take advantage of my situation and so I grabbed a sandwich and cookies. But, when I heard Cathy coming with my brother, Tyler, I knew I would be caught. I was afraid and closed my eyes, I guess. In the next moment, I opened them again and found my self back in my bedroom. I believed at the time that I was only dreaming and ended up passing it off as such."

Devon summarized what Rama just told him, murmuring softly, "You were hungry – and, then, somehow through meditation, made it to the most obvious room you could think of to take care of that need - which was the kitchen." Turning back to her, he shook his head, "I still don't see how, though." Devon then asked, "Did you perhaps tell Leonardo about this?"

Rama gave him a sceptical look and almost laughed, "Are you kidding? No way!" Rama insisted, "He wouldn't have been very pleased with me for not following his orders to the letter and then falling asleep in the first place. He would have been absolutely furious with my lapse in concentration. I wasn't about to bring that kind of grief on me." Then, Rama pointed out. "Besides, I thought it was a dream, Devon. If it really did happen, then I might have had to explain to him about fixing a sandwich, but there was no possible way I could have done what I did, I was sure of it."

"Okay," Devon glanced over at Rama, stealing a couple of kisses from her again before continuing, "You said your coming here might have been the second time you did it. I know from what you've told me that you were fighting the Elite before coming into our world. What were you thinking about or doing specifically other then battling the Foot?"

She replied a bit more seriously, "I was already using meditative skills to figure out where my enemies were. The night was especially dark because of the storm and the location of the battle. There was lots of rain that made it real difficult to see, too. Devon, I was afraid because there was so many of the Elite and I knew my family might not reach me in time to help me." Rama furrowed her brow as she thought back to that evening. "I remember pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind, though, knowing they couldn't help me, that they would only hinder me. I was aware that a part of me was longing to be away from the Foot, to be somewhere safe near my family, somewhere away from…" Rama gasped and her eyes grew large.

"What?" Devon demanded gently.

"Somewhere away from all the fighting. Devon, there isn't any fighting here and you have to admit that it's much safer than anywhere I have ever been before." Rama shook her head "but that would mean - I brought _myself_ here, wouldn't it?"

"Most likely," Devon nodded as he had to agree, "which also means you could probably send yourself home again." He then commented, "It seems your thoughts during meditation along with certain needs or desires to be somewhere other than where you are, sort of allow you to teleport to that area."

Rama didn't know how to react to that, not at all, in fact. A week or two ago, she would have been elated to know how to get home, but now the possibility only made her feel sad. "I know I have to go home, Devon. My family needs me and I can't leave them. Dad must be worried sick about me but…" Rama then choked back a sob "I don't want to leave you. I love you and I want to stay with you." She buried her face in his neck and, with both arms, clung to him desperately as she quietly sobbed.

Seeing her turmoil, Devon tightened his embrace around her in an attempt to comfort, "Hey, relax Rama. If this is a ninja skill of some kind, then we can use it to travel back and forth to visit with one another. You don't have to lose me, I won't have to lose you, and you won't lose honor by neglecting to return to your clan, even though you could have earlier."

Rama pulled her head up and, with the back of her hand, wiped her face a little as she asked, "Is it a ninja skill though Devon? I mean, my sensei at home has never even hinted at such a thing and the Leo here hasn't found or recalled any information on it either?"

"Well," Devon theorized, "ninja are supposed to move from one place to another very quickly, no one can dispute that skill. However, I haven't heard of teleportation as being a part of it, though," Devon admitted, "It might have been something that ninja used to do in the old days, only it's been lost somehow through time. Except that you've stumbled upon it by mere chance alone. Whatever the case may be, you have something that both your clan and mine can use to our advantage." Devon was quite relieved, now that they had something to base it on as to why she was here in his world as well as in his room. He now knew that Rama had not willingly broken the restrictions Leo had placed on her. On top of that, there was the fact that she had somehow found a skill that could become a valuable asset to them all.

He leaned in and kissed her passionately, with Rama hungrily returning his gesture. She had learned from Devon's example and now her kisses had lost their awkwardness. Instead, they were sure and full of eager yearning.

When they pulled away, Rama looked deep into Devon's eyes, feeling the heart-wrenching desire burn deep inside of her. Now, more then ever before, she knew what she wanted and she whispered it softly to Devon, "I love you, Devon, and I want you to show me what you know." Rama hesitated just for a moment as her breath hitched, "Make me truly _your_ kunoichi."

Devon smiled as he sensed her longings. While he knew he really ought to be sending her back to the dojo, he had desperately missed her too. Her invitation was far too tempting for him to pass up. Even with Leo so close by, Devon was willing to accept the risks.

He rose from the bed and invited her to lie down. Rama willingly complied. As she laid her head on his pillow, she reached up for him and so he climbed in beside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down towards her so that they could kiss again. Devon took Rama in with more passion than he had yet to offer her. He lay over her right side, his good right arm embracing her, his hand cupping the back of her head.With is other hand, he gently ran his fingers through her hair and felt the soft silkiness of her tresses. He then cupped her face and intensified his kisses, releasing the passion that he had kept unbidden since their forest interlude. He allowed all of how he felt for her to wash over Ramiela and felt her respond in kind, both allowing every sense of their being to become of one mind.

Rama allowed her feelings to flow only to Devon, making sure they went no further. He quickly noticed the difference this time; Rama's control was much better than it had been back in the forest. For that much he was thankful because he really didn't want them to be disturbed. Perhaps the long hours of enforced meditation taught Rama to keep things more under wraps. Just the same, self control was necessary, more now than ever before.

Rama couldn't help but to delight in his kisses, still not understanding how something so simple could generate the feelings going on inside of her. She closed her eyes as Devon caressed her face, his lips feather-soft. Devon nuzzled under her chin, coaxing Rama to lift it up, and then – when she did – he kissed her throat with soft, gentle pecks. Devon then trailed some kisses over her face and mouth with Rama returning them with passion and intensity. Her hands reached up to massage the muscles in his shoulder, neck and arms, being very careful of the wounds that he had. Their breathing became shallow as Devon dragged his muzzle along her neck affectionately.

The kunoichi felt as if she were falling into an abyss of passion, not knowing or caring if Leo could sense them. Still, just to be safe, she focused everything she was experiencing on her beloved. Rama knew she couldn't be dreaming this experience for she was far too awake as she anticipated and delighted in Devon's every touch.

Devon paused, breaking off his ministrations as he smiled down at Rama. She begged quietly in response, "Devon – please, don't - stop."

He could sense in those few words what she wanted and desired the most. He, then, reached his senses out to her letting her know that he felt the same way. Yet, he would still give her the option of backing out. "You sure you want to, Rama?" he asked, wanting, no, needing to know that she was as ready as she seemed to be and that she had no doubts about how she felt.

"I want you, Devon. Please love me," she gasped. As far as she was concerned, she had made that decision in the dojo and confirmed it when Devon had assured her that they could still be together, no matter what. Rama was certain that she was ready and she wanted him in the worst possible way.

"I want you, too, my love…tonight…right now….let's not waste a second," he whispered as his breath tickled her neck. Her own breathing hitched a few times as she reacted to his words and his touch. It was then that he knew she was ready.

Devon smiled as she reached for him, eager to resume their kissing. She encouraged him with her body to continue and told him by her submission to his advances that this time she was willing.

However, just before they reached the point of no return in their lovemaking, they both felt a presence shoot through their being like a bucket of ice water. With eyes going wide, Rama whispered in sheer terror, "**_Sensei_**_!"_

Leo was awake and swiftly heading towards their bedroom!

Rama's head snapped up, as did Devon's. Both swore in frustration, but Rama managed to spit out under her breath, "I know it, I'm gonna die a virgin!"

"Not if I can help it, you won't!" Devon offered huskily as he grinned. Quickly, he leaned in and kissed her deeply one more time before swiftly leaping off her, taking his blanket with him. She soon followed and looked furtively around, realizing with a sinking heart that there wasn't any way to escape Leo. Rama then saw Devon look towards his window. Yet, the last thing she heard him say was when he urgently whispered, "Maybe you could climb down the side of the house and somehow find your way back in, then…"

Yet, as Devon turned around to make sure his beloved was paying attention, he found himself alone, completely alone. Looking around desperately to see if maybe she had gone ninja into his closet, he was soon distracted from his search by a pounding on his bedroom door.

"Devon, open up – NOW!" Leo barked angrily.

Gulping and quickly gaining control of himself, he straightened his bed, replacing the blanket. Though he was still confused as to where Rama had gone to, Devon went over to the door and cracked it open. "Yes?" he asked in as groggy a tone as he could muster and without sounding trite.

Leo pushed his way in, causing his nephew to quickly step back lest the bottom of the door scrap across his toes. "Gee, Uncle, what gives?" he asked in mock indignation.

"Don't 'gee' me, Devon. I know that Rama was in here…_where_ is she?" Leo demanded as he began to search the bedroom.

Attempting to distract his uncle, Devon continued with his indignation, "Hey, this is my room…"

Leo turned sharply around in that moment and shot back, "NOT when it concerns clan business, it isn't. Now, tell me…WHERE is she?"

Leo bore his face into Devon, forcing the young man to go wide-eyed. He had heard how intimidating his uncle could be when push came to shove, how overwhelmingly terrifying Leo's posturing was – based on Seth's own experiences in Nepal. Although Devon had seen some of it in Osaka during his most recent trip there, that didn't even come close to what he was witnessing now. Now, Devon was getting a first hand look at the true Leonardo, the one who kept himself under control at all times, except for this present moment. Now he was at his most intimidating self. His father and Leo were certainly a lot a like, when the situation presented itself, of that much Devon was sure.

However, he was not going to betray his love, even if it meant doing one hundred back-flips and push-ups. Clan business was one thing; personal 'biz' was a completely different ballgame all together. Maybe Rama shouldn't have been up in his room in the first place, but then she hadn't planned on it, either. Finding herself in his room was as much a surprise to her as it was to him. No deliberate disobedience had been committed, although it probably could be said that she allowed her mind to wander a bit during her assignment.

Still and despite Devon's best efforts to remain dumb and dumber, Leo saw right through him.

The ninja master sniffed…and then he smiled.

Cocking his head to one side he looked long and hard at his nephew and then sneered, "Uh huh, figures. You just couldn't stay away from her, not even during her punishment? You're going to be jonin one day, Devon, and I hope for your sake, between now and then, that you learn some sort of self control."

"I – I don't know what you mean, Uncle." Devon asked innocently, or as close to sounding as innocent as he could.

"**_Sensei_**, to you from this moment on!" Leo sternly corrected him. His nephew's eyes blinked to attention as his 'sensei' continued, "Nevertheless, I hope for Rama's sake that you don't get her pregnant. That's all that girl would need if she manages to get back home! A baby with blue hair and a lizard tail – though it would probably the only proof that she had indeed been in an alternate universe!"

Devon gulped nervously…and blushed, finally owning up, "We didn't, I mean, we – we didn't have enough time before….well…before you – ah – interrupted us."

Smiling triumphantly, Leo nodded, "Thank you, Devon, for being honest with me. The odor of intimacy is so strong in this room; a rock could have sensed it! Now, where is she?"

"Quite honestly, she was here just a moment before you knocked. Now, though? I haven't the foggiest idea." Devon replied in obvious frustration.

"How can you NOT know where she is, Dev?" Leo asked derisively. "Ninja or not, she couldn't have slipped passed me without my knowing about it." He stormed over to the closet, threw open the door, and then stormed inside. Rummaging around but finding nothing, he came back out into the room, frustrated but more determined. He looked towards the bathroom and charged in, "**Rama**! It's better for you to own up, right now!" Flinging the shower door open, Leo found that it was empty, as were the cabinets under the sink, and then the linen closet that he checked next. Returning to the bedroom, his anger was melting away into confusion. "Where…could she have gone to?" He looked over at the window, but noticed its still-locked condition. He knew that Devon might be fast but Leo was certain that Rama had been in the room just a second or two before he knocked on the door.

"Uncle, I should tell you how she got in." Devon offered hesitantly. Even though he believed Rama's story, he wasn't so certain that his uncle would.

"What…do you mean by that, do you take me for a fool? Don't be stupid, she walked in, Devon." Leo decried, huffing indignantly.

"No, she didn't." the boy insisted glumly.

"NO?" Leo laughed, almost mockingly. "Okay, then, humor me…_how_ did she get in." He now stood with his arms folded, waiting with an amused if not irritated smile on his face.

"She performed a sort of meditative transportation." Devon simply said. He knew it sounded ludicrous, but it was the truth. If Leo was gauging him - and Devon knew that he would be - his uncle would soon know that he was being truthful.

"Meditative transportation? How?" Leo asked, not quite believing. Then, he changed his mind, "Forget about trying to convince me. The recorder downstairs will prove whether you're telling me the truth – or," he paused as he narrowed his eyes and his voice at his nephew, "if you're lying to me."

Then, he motioned for Devon to lead the way. As Leo followed the boy out of the bedroom, Mike came out of his from down the hall and asked, squinting as if he had just woken up, "Hey, what'z…all the commotion about?"

Leo looked back at his brother as he and Devon headed for the stairs, inviting him, "Mind joining us? We may have another tribunal in the works."

Mike groaned and rubbed his face wearily as he reluctantly followed along, sighing in a tired voice, "Ah, what'd Rama do, now?"

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Gemdrive2000_**_: You can bet Leo won't be a happy camper that almost goes without saying. Headaches Rama has been known to give out more than her share that is for sure. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Oh yeah! Lots of suspense coming up, so stay tuned. You know trouble is what Rama is besty at her Uncle Raphael has trained her well, a little too well. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_:I know Leo is your favourite so you don't want to see him leave. But he does have a school and responsibilities in Japan to attend to. Never tell an artist what to paint or a story teller what to tell just have a little faith. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: Yeah trouble all the way around. When we dish it out we try to be fair. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Ah, well, double trouble indeed! They can all take some of Leo's tea if this gives them headaches, then again, a headache would remind them they're awake! LOL Hmm…Don may or may not know anything at this point, only time and more chapters will say which is what. Glad you're enjoying the story so far! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Yeah, the fight or flight syndrome is a weird experience. I had a taste of it during the 1994 Northridge Earthquake ten years ago. I'm used to quakes, but this one was a doozy. Aftershocks still get to me! Anyway, that tingly thing she's feeling will only put her in a place where she could get even more tingly! LOL Ah, but what is it they say about timing? I'm certain this particular chapter would have two different 'camps' saying one thing or another about it and neither agreeing on any point made. Guess Rama is still a virgin…poor girl. Glad the suspense is doing as we had hoped it would. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH HART_**_: Ah, you know something, we're writing this tale – well, actually, Wendy Peabody started it – where the TMNT's have their own lives and have grown up a bit, meaning that they can do well on their own. As in real life. I know of two brothers who are in the mid to late 40's who are still living in the house they grew up in and neither of them will probably ever get married. Mom did too good a job of keeping them home, me thinks. She's passed on, but these guys remain living together. The natural order of things is to move on. Plain and simple, unless there are other circumstances that unintentionally curtail it. So, with that said, please know that the TMNT's will always be brothers regardless of how far apart their homes are. Thanks for your thoughts and concerns – and for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Lots of concerns and questions from you and all will be answered in due time. Rest assured that Rama will have a bit of a 'break' from her 2 days in solitary and Gabby will have an adventure to rock the clan to their foundation. Well, as far as the rating is concerned, we were going to keep it as PG13 but then decided that it only takes one disgruntled reader to make a complaint, thereby calling out the Hounds of Removal from Fan Fiction. Therefore, it stays as R from chapter 40 on, until such time that we can be assured it won't be taken off the site as a PG13. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	41. An Unexpected Interruption

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Despite our best efforts, Eastman and Laird have refused our phone calls. Seems they have better things to do than to consider exchanging fresh baked brownies for ownership of a certain group of mutant, ninja kicking, and bi-pedal turtles. Those two men have no idea what they're missing! So sad, it really is. R&R :0)_

**CHAPTER** **41**- An Unexpected Interruption

The three ninja were crowded into the small recording room while, once again, Mike and Leo watched the scene repeat itself on the monitor. Shaking his head as if for the first time, Leo's mouth opened just a bit as he muttered in disbelief, "It's just - impossible…she just, vanishes – into thin air…and…and..."

Devon finished for him, realizing that he was in as much hot water as Rama, "And appeared in my room…yes, I know this." He sighed as he rubbed his temples and closed his eyes. The stress of being under Leo's scrutiny was becoming rather overwhelming. _"Why oh why didn't I just send Rama on her way…?"_ he lamented to himself ruefully. Yet, Devon knew the reason why. He also realized that he deliberately chose not to heed his inner warnings. Now, Leo was asking him yet another question, one of many since the two of them and Mike had all piled into the recording room. Devon snapped to attention lest his sensei add more woes to his already mounting collection.

"Why?" the ninja master asked as he faced his nephew. "If she can do this, why didn't she just go home? It's obvious she used this method to come here." He went back to the screen and fast-forwarded it until Rama reappeared in the dojo once again, roughly thirty minutes after she had 'just vanished'.

Devon hesitated just a bit, wondering how much he was obligated to tell his uncle, his sensei, and how much he was not. Then, as he thought about it, he reasoned, "Maybe she can't transport from one universe to the other – yet. At least, not willingly, anyway."

Leo nodded absently as he stared at the monitor screen. Then, turning to face Devon full on, he asked. "Tell me why she chose _your_ room, though?"

Mike smirked, quite amused with his stepson's predicament, yet it was not lost on him why Rama would choose Devon's room, "May I say something?" he asked. Leo nodded to his brother, so Mike continued, "It's apparent that Rama has never had a relationship before, not one of this magnitude. Leo, she's in love, with Devon, and it's mutual. Maybe you need a girlfriend, bro, to understand what that's like!" He grinned as Leo seared a look at him and then Mike continued, "Future jonins or not, they're still made of flesh and blood." He looked over at Devon and then asked; his face barely able to contain his smirk, "So, Dev, how far did'ya get?"

"MIKE. This is an inquisition, not some X-rated porn story." Leo shot out, "Besides," he looked at Devon and had to smile inwardly at the boy's reddening face, "whatever they did was between them and not us, other than showing accountability to the imposed punishment." He looked back over at Mike, "Maybe it's time to consider the fact that we have a situation on our hands." He glanced over at Devon again and stated, "The last thing Rama will need is to become pregnant. Exercising self-control is paramount to whatever else _you_ might think you may want!"

"Yes, sensei." Devon replied as he glanced away from his uncle, his face going crimson even more.

"Right, of course," Mike agreed, containing his smile yet he personally didn't see much harm for the two to get closer in their friendship. Still, Leo did have a point that if Rama had found a key to going home with this meditative teleportation bit, then the two of them might not be together much longer.

However, Mike had mixed emotions about the whole deal. On one hand, he knew that Rama belonged back with her own family. He could only imagine the heartache her father and the others were going through. Yet, on the other hand, Mike was rather hoping that Rama's return home would never happen. He truly wanted Devon to have a family and fulfilled happiness of his own and Rama was the only guarantee for that.

About that time, Raph stuck his head inside the monitoring room, "Hey, wha'z going on? I can hear you guys all the way from the den."

"It's Rama." Leo explained, "Somehow, during her meditation, she was able to get to Devon's room – without leaving the dojo."

"Say what?" Raph now slipped inside the already jammed-packed room, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. "You have to be kidding me. No way can she or anyone do that, ninja or not!" he insisted.

To prove his point, Leo replayed the recorded evidence again. He played it several times before Raph was finally convinced. However, he did have his suspicions and stated so, "What are we going do here Leo? I mean it's highly possible that Rama just fiddled with the recording equipment to make it look as if she had just disappeared."

Mike perked up quite readily about that one, "Yeah, that's right! Considering what she did to fool me the other day, I wouldn't put it past her."

"Yes," Leo countered, "but she was in Devon's room. While she could have just walked in there, she didn't come out that way and the window was locked. There wasn't any way she could have made it past me, either. There wasn't enough time or opportunity. I would have seen her, Mike." Leo dismissed Raph's idea, although he would have preferred that to Devon's explanation. He looked back at the screen as it now showed Rama sitting on the dojo floor. She was currently in the lotus position, seemingly deep in a meditative state. Motioning towards the monitor with his right hand, he declared, "Yet, here she is - in the dojo. The count on the timer shows current time and best to my ability, it doesn't look as if it's been tampered with." Oh, to have Don here, Leo thought ruefully. He knew that his quick-minded brother would know almost immediately if Rama had monkeyed with the controls.

Devon snorted a bit at the thought, "Why bother fiddling with the recording equipment unless she intended to act disobediently and wanted to cover her tracks in the first place?" He then commented as he defended her, "When she appeared in my room she was confused and didn't know how she came to be there. Rama insisted that she hadn't even left the dojo and I believe she was telling the truth, that it wasn't intentional on her part."

Leo shot an icy look towards his nephew, mocking as he accused, "So unintentional you couldn't help but take advantage of it and have a little cozy tryst?" He added derisively, "Come on, Devon, this sort of ability just doesn't happen by mistake."

Raph's interest was now more piqued than before, "Whoa, back the truck up, what do ya mean 'a cozy tryst'? What went on in your room, Dev?" He looked over at his son, a small smile forming along his snout.

Rolling his eyes, Devon only shook his head, unwilling to answer. However, Mike was up for it so he decided to help his nephew out, grinning for all he was worth as he explained smugly, "They sort of had a little _'tea party'_ between the two of 'em!"

Raph scoffed, "Tea party, what in blazes are you talk...ohhhh…" It finally dawned on him to what his brother was alluding. Raph shot a look at his son and smirked even more, "Reeeaaally? Is that so, eh? Well, looks like you guys more than just made up!" Raph slapped his son on the back and snickered, "Chip off the old block, eh?"

Devon shrugged his father's hand off, "It's not like that…well, it could have been but _someone_ interrupted us." He huffed as he folded his arms across his chest and leaned hard against the wall irritably. He tried not to look at his sensei as Leo cocked one eye ridge at him for the implied disrespect. However, as far as Devon was concerned, it didn't matter what he said; he was as good as dead once Leo figured out what to do with Rama.

Leo continued to wonder about how the kunoichi was able to do what she did, "Still, she must be aware of doing this, why else would she choose to 'visit' you, Devon?" He was still not happy with the two, even though he was genuinely impressed with the girl's ability.

Devon considered what Rama had told him about the first time she had teleported in her own world and then how she assumed she came to be in this one. Deliberately leaving out the part about what she was focusing on and which apparently determined where she went, Devon explained, "Not to argue with you, but I don't think Rama really knows how, as if she could just do it when she wants to. As she told me, it has happened three times to her; twice in her world with one of those times bringing her here, and then just a while ago. All three times involved her meditating in some way. Nobody in her clan even knows she can do this, Uncle, it's a complete mystery to her."

Leo gave Devon a hard steely look, where upon the boy quickly corrected himself, saying, "_Sensei_." He turned away and rolled his eyes, fighting to keep his tail from lashing out in irritation.

Leo grumped, as he knew that the only way to find the underlying cause of the situation was to hear Ramiela's view. He had to get her side of the story and be certain if she was hiding something from him – or accept the fact that this teleportation thing was just a by-product of her long stint with meditating. Leo knew that he had every right to go downstairs and immediately confront his student about it, rather than wait until her time in solitary was complete. However, he also wanted to make sure that if this teleportation actually happened and she was unable to control it, that he was sensitive to her confusion. The ninja master considered his options silently for a moment, closing his eyes as he took in a brief time of meditation.

Seth rolled over and reached out for Gabby. As his hands groped around her side of the bed, he soon discovered that she was not there. His subconscious told him that something was wrong. He tried to wake up, to throw off the thick haze of sleep that determinedly refused to dissipate, but it hung onto his brain like a thick, wet blanket. _"Why isn't she next to me?"_ he mumbled to himself. "Gabby?" he called out. Yet, as he did so he realized his speech seemed stunted, as if he had marbles in his mouth. What's with that, he thought to himself. As his mind told him that he needed to wake up, his body pleaded otherwise. He felt the tug-a-war going on between them and he wondered why he was having such a hard time deciding on what to do. Forcing his eyes to open and blinking them to focus against the shadow-rich interior of the bedroom, Seth looked over to where Gabby should have been. However, all he saw was an empty space and her pillow, which only confirmed that she was indeed gone. He tried to shake his head, but it felt weird, as if he was moving through water. He never before had a problem with waking up, yet he felt as if he still wanted very much to sleep. It was then that he remembered the tea he had before going to bed, how strong it tasted to him and Gabby's distant comments about needing a 'good night sleep'. Dipping into his ninjitsu to help him become more alert, Seth pushed away the errant thought of wanting to lie back down. The more he did, the more it dawned on him that Gabby, his wife of three years, mother of Mindy and their unborn child, had drugged him.

The realization of what his own wife had done to him completely floored Seth; it was the last thing he would have expected from her. It was perfectly obvious that he was unprepared for such an act. In fact, because she had tricked him so expertly, the drug had done a wonderful job of keeping him knocked out for as long as it had. It was his training alone which had defeated its purpose of keeping him asleep until morning. _"More than likely she was afraid to make it too strong, that I might notice it more," _he thought ruefully. He shook his head one more time to rid it of the lingering need to sleep before stumbling from his bed.

Seth began to then search around the room for her. He checked the adjoining bathroom and walk-in-closet, but he did not find any trace of his wife. He did notice certain articles of clothing that were missing, including her coat. He thought that maybe the clothes were in the wash, but he could not account for why her coat was missing. He had a momentary and sudden thought. Coming out of the closet, he went to her side of the bed and pulled open the drawer from her bedside table. His wife always kept her cell phone in there, not ever having any need for it. However, it was gone. Now a cold fear crept up Seth's spine as he considered the possibility. He quickly went over to his side of the bed and picked up the table phone, dialing Gabby's number. However, almost immediately, he heard her outgoing message, proving that she had her cell turned off. Seth then frantically headed for Mindy's room and yet he knew instantly the moment he rushed in that his daughter was gone. Choking back a sob as he rushed towards his daughter's empty bed, "No, GABBY, what have you done!" his voice filled the bedroom as his heart came close to breaking. He rushed frantically downstairs and through the living room, racing out the front door and towards the main house. A small part of him hoped she was still on premises, so he threw out his senses to check. However, with a sinking heart, he quickly realized that neither his wife nor daughter were anywhere on property. It was enough to confirm Seth's worst fears.

He had no idea how much of a head start Gabby had on him but he knew that his father would need to be immediately alerted to the situation. Seth ran for the house, shoving the patio door open and rushing inside. He quickly noticed the lights were already on. He thought thankfully to himself, _"At least I won't be waking everyone up."_ He knew the dojo was off limits due to Ramiela's punishment but figured that whoever was up was in one of the three main living areas. As he walked further into the house, he soon heard his dad's voice coming from the monitor room. He sensed his father immediately.

"Dad!" Seth yelled out, his voice full of desperation. _"Man, I still feel so groggy!"_ he complained silently.

Mike peered out from the room's doorway, "Seth, why aren't you at home with Gabby? Don't tell me she kicked you out."

"No, it's not that," he struggled to say, "Ga – Gabby drugged me and - and then took off with Mindy." Seth blurted out the words, his drugged state inhibiting their flow. "Min's suitcase is gone and some of Gabby's clothes, too. She also took her coat and cell phone."

"Aw…" Mike cussed softly "when it rains, it pours." He grumped as he headed out into the family room. "Did you try calling her?" His brothers and Devon followed suit, their interest now off Rama and onto what Seth had to say.

"Yeah, but she has the phone turned off." Seth complained.

Raph mumbled as he came around the couch by the fireplace, "Figures."

"How can she take off like that? She can't drive. It's too far to walk to Carmel, especially at night and especially with being pregnant, not to mention Mindy, what's wrong with that girl!" Seth couldn't get the words out fast enough, now. As he flopped down on the couch, he rubbed his head and shook it, moaning, "What am I going to do?"

"Well," Mike said as he headed over to the monitoring room, "we can find out what time it was when she left. I have cameras at the front gate, so they'll have record of her leaving." He hurried on over to the monitoring room once again, with Raph right behind him. After a few minutes they both came back out, with Raph declaring, "Yep, made the gate by twelve-forty this morning. She had Min in her stroller. Gab's seemed in a big hurry, too. The way she was hoofing it, it'd take her another twenty minutes to reach the main highway."

"Great, just great - and in her condition, too." Seth groaned, "What if she goes into premature labor? I mean, anything can happen this close to her due date." He buried his head in his hands, muttering, "Where could she go to?"

"First," Mike said, "more than likely, she's probably called a cab. She knows that Don owns the Metro Taxi company so that's probably who she called." He went over to the phone in the kitchen and grabbed up the yellow pages on the desk that was nearby. "I bet you dimes to nickels, that's what she did."

"Seth," Leo asked his son as he came around the couch to sit beside him, "Do you know how long you've been out?" He could sense that Seth's mind was still a little clouded from the drug, but it was slowly ebbing. It wouldn't be too long before his son was free from its effects.

"I don't know for sure," Seth replied sleepily, "What time is it?"

Leo said, "About two-thirty in the morning."

"Ah, blast it all." Seth groaned as he leaned back against the couch. It felt so good to relax, but he knew he had to fight it, to keep from succumbing to the drug. Sighing, Seth said, "We went to bed around eleven-thirty and we had that tea of yours around eleven."

"You drank _my_ tea?" Leo asked, somewhat surprised.

"Yeah," Seth admitted sheepishly, "she said it would give us a good night sleep. Gabby even had some."

"Probably not as strong, though." Leo commented softly, "Considering she was able to get off property."

"I'm so stupid, Dad!" Seth moaned as he rubbed his eyes and sighed, "I should have known something was up. She was so distant last night, so – evasive. I figured she was still upset with you – in fact, that's what she said, Gabby said she'd probably never be able to forgive you about Mindy." Seth leaned forward again and looked at his father, "I'm sorry, I really am. Guess we kind of blew it with her, huh?"

"No, we didn't blow it, Seth. Gabby did." Leo offered kindly as he placed a comforting hand on his grieving son's back. "Now, if she was going to take off, she might go to her mom's first." Turning to Mike, Leo started to tell him to make the call, but Mike was already dialing the number, foregoing the cab company for the moment.

They all sat there waiting, hoping, and nearly holding their breaths as Mike waited for Cassie to answer the phone. Finally, "Hey, Cass, sorry fer wakin' ya. Hard question to ask this time of night, but would Gabby happen to be there?" A long pregnant pause followed as Mike listened to her respond. Everyone seemed on edge as they anticipated and hoped for a positive reply, but the look on Mike's face in the next moment, as her answer came through the phone lines, confirmed otherwise. "Ah, sh…well…yeah, she's gone. Took off sometime after midnight we think, made the front gate by twelve-forty, according to the cameras I have installed out there. Don't worry, 'kay? We're on it." He paused again as Cassie said something, then, "Yeah, well, don't blame yourself, okay? I'm sure she probably took a cab to the airport; it's the only way to get out of town. We'll head her off there after we get in touch with Don's crew to stall, just in case they're still on the ground. They can always do a U-turn if they're already up and flying. Might be better that way where she'll be stuck tight. Don't worry, though. You know us – always get our man, or woman, as the case may be!" He chuckled to dispel any worry he felt, listening to her response, and then Mike told her, "Yep, you bet. Just as soon as we know, you'll know! 'Kay, bye." He hung up and looked over at his brothers and nephew, "Didn't have to tell her about Gabs taking Min; she knew she would. Cass is kind of berating herself right now where she had this 'feeling' after her talk with Gabby the other day and she didn't tell anyone. Cassie was rather surprised Gab's would do that." Mike then looked at Seth, "Anyway, good bet your wife's headed for the airport in San Jose."

"But, where is she going to go, though?" Seth exclaimed angrily, "She's eight months pregnant and shouldn't be going anywhere."

Mike was back on the phone again, dialing up Metro Taxi as he said, "Cabbies always call their rides in, where' they're going, stuff like that. Maybe she said something about her destination. Either way, we'll get the low down from them"

Leo suddenly jumped up off the couch and towards the basement door. After swinging it opened, he barreled down the stairs into the dojo.

Rama sensed his presence almost immediately. She cringed inwardly, knowing that Leo would not be happy with her after her disobedience, unintentional as it was. It was obvious that her sensei knew she had been with Devon, where she had felt his mounting anger upon his approach to the bedroom. If it had not had been for Leo's intrusion, she and Devon would have been a _'couple'_ in more ways than one. Nevertheless, she silently berated herself for not returning immediately to the dojo the moment she found herself in the bedroom. Yet, she hadn't counted on how much she had missed Devon. Seeing him and feeling him near her after what had seemed a lifetime apart had been too hard for her to walk away. What made it even more tempting for her was that, up until that moment, Rama had not realized how much Devon had come to mean to her. Being with Devon in his bed and experiencing what she had with him had seemed far more important than anything. Now she had probably ended up getting them both into trouble. Then, again, Devon had seemed to feel the same way she had about it, too. Maybe it would be a punishment they could both endure together.

As Leo came towards her, Rama stood up. She bowed deeply before him and then braced herself for the verbal attack she was fully expecting from him. She was certain Sensei would impose a punishment of the severest order upon her due to her lapse. Yet, a part of her whispered, _"It doesn't matter what punishment he gives me, it was worth it to see Devon and to be with him. I didn't really mean to be in his room, but it was still worth every moment – every touch!"_

"Ramiela," Leo began earnestly, yet abruptly, "I am releasing you from isolation as we might have need for you elsewhere for the moment."

Rama jerked her head up in complete surprise. This was the last thing she had expected, yet she could sense, even with not being told, that something was very wrong. However, she could not place what that could be. Still, the urgency in her sensei's voice told her that whatever it was, he felt her time would be better spent elsewhere than where she was. _"If Leo needs me, then so be it. I'll do what I can and where I can if it might help me restore my honor in the slightest degree,"_ she vowed to herself. Rama was still fully aware that she needed to do that and remembered her personal promise to try to fit in with this world.

"May I ask why, Sensei?" she inquired tentatively. She followed him out of the dojo and up the stairs, feeling quite relieved to be released from her 'prison'.

Leo nodded curtly to her, not forgetting his initial ire with his student, "Gabby's run off with Mindy. We need to find her and the quicker the better," he replied, but then he turned back and gave her a stern expression, "But, don't think you're off the hook. Later on I will want to know _exactly_ how you ended up in Devon's room and then back here without me even seeing you!"

Rama gulped and nodded. She knew that he would remember to ask her about it, too. You could not get much past a ninja Master and they didn't forget much, either. She also knew that now was not the time to dispute the matter or protest her innocence. It was apparent to her that there were things afoot that were more important. For Ramiela, she needed to find out what was going on.

"What are we going to do about it, Sensei?" Rama asked, her own worry beginning to mount as she caught Leo's unsaid concern. She followed him as he hurriedly marched up the stairs.

"Right now, we're gathering information; Mike's on the phone with the cab company. Based on what he finds out from them will let us know what we have to do next." Leo glumly replied. "With Gabby's due date only a few weeks away, it's a very precarious situation she has put herself in. We need to find her fast!"

Rama nodded in understanding and yet the mother's behavior perplexed her. Since she was clueless about why Gabby was acting this way, it was hard to fathom why she would leave the family she supposedly loved, especially Seth. The kunoichi briefly wondered what had gone on during her time down in the dojo.

As she came out of the stairwell with Leo and into the family room, Rama saw Devon standing somewhat subdued over by the breakfast bar. While her sensei went over to stand by the fireplace with Raph to discuss the situation, Rama went immediately over to his son. Now, considering the intimacy she had shared with him earlier, she felt drawn to his understanding and care. She quickly linked her arm in his and leaned against him, whispering, "I don't understand Devon, Gabby loves Seth, so why would she want to hurt him like this?" Rama looked over to where Mike was and saw that he was talking on the phone. She ignored him for the moment, though, thinking about the situation at hand. She knew, without a doubt, that such a move would hurt Seth. She knew it because of what she had experienced as a child. Rama had known that Shay hated her father; she had easily sensed the strong emotions in her mother even at such a young age. Yet, Rama knew that Gabby didn't hate Seth, so her actions were quite hard to comprehend.

Devon glanced down at her, a sad expression on his face. Softly, he began to tell her about the events that had led up to his sister's leaving, "You know how ninja will often take a child from the family that they are born in to raise as a clan member?"

Rama nodded as she recalled that bit of history, "It was traditionally the way it was done, though most clans have stopped that practice. I know that the purpose of it was to train the child to see the Sensei as their parent and the other ninja as the child's family." Rama replied, "It made for easier training and stronger attachments to the clan later on." She concluded quickly, "The ninja-child would be less likely to betray the clan once he or she became an adult, all because they were like a family." She easily sensed something from Devon that caused her to be concerned, "But I didn't think that sort of thing was done here within this clan." She paused, "Leo wasn't going take Mindy was he?" If what she suspected was true, then the Leo in this world was definitely stricter than the one in hers. Her sensei would be hard pressed to do such a thing. Then, again, given their secretive nature and limited resources, in Rama's clan taking any of the children away from their family would be near impossible anyway.

Devon nodded as he affirmed Rama's assumption, reiterating what she already knew, "As you know, the clan wants Mindy to have the basic foundation of ninjitsu now, before she starts school," Rama nodded in agreement, so Devon went on, "It's imperative that she learns how to avoid giving herself away and revealing who we are. It takes quite a while to work through the childish tendency to 'tell all' and get them to understand the seriousness of their training. Children will make anything into a game and, as you are aware, ninjitsu is the furthest thing from it. Consequently, we have to start them as soon as possible, preferably before they begin their formal education," Devon explained and the stated, "However, Gabby's stubborn reluctance to have Mindy trained and the way she acted towards Leo sort of forced him to make the decision to move her to Japan. It was difficult for him to do, but it's for Mindy's own good." Devon explained.

Rama scowled at his words "And I sure as well didn't help matters much. I should know more about what it's like for Gabby facing this because I've seen my aunts go through it, just not as bad as this."

Devon glanced at Rama and gave her a quick kiss, "Don't blame your self, okay? It was not entirely your fault. You know that Gabby was against this from the start."

"It might not be entirely my fault but I didn't make the choice easier for her." Rama moaned, "If anything, I only proved to her that what she feared could come to pass. If I acted as a true ninja, I wouldn't have done what I did to Cassandra and then Gabby might have seen something better in me." Rama trailed off. She gave a heavy resigned sigh, "I just never realized how I truly felt about Shay. It was only because she wasn't in my life anymore that I tried to put her out of my mind. I never talked very much about her with my family and they were never too eager to speak of her, either." Rama shrugged. "I didn't understand how one person could make me feel so much hatred and fear."

Devon turned towards her and wrapped Rama in his arms, hugging her to him. Stroking her head, he whispered compassionately, "She put you through a great deal, I guess."

"Yes, she did, but that does that mean I have to let it **_own me_."** Rama declared, hugging Devon even more.

It was Leo who commented next as he overheard their conversation. Turning towards the couple from where he stood by the fireplace, "You don't have to let anything own you unless you want it to, Ramiela." He smiled and was glad that her time in meditation time had done some good.

Then, Mike's conversation with the cab company caught everyone's attention, "Yeah, just keep driving around until she wakes up or until five-thirty, if you can make it that far. Right…then just head on over to the airport and we'll do the rest. If she wakes up, she wakes up. Just don't act like something's brewing, okay? Yeah, thanks a lot!" He hung up the phone and then declared, "Gabby's sleeping, so the cabby's going to just drive until we get there, so long as she stays asleep! He doesn't know what her destination is, though. He'll try to find out if he can."

Leo murmured, "Why would she run away like this? It just doesn't make any sense at all." Yet, what worried him was that Gabby had too much of a lead on them. He could only hope that the cabby would be able to help them by driving around until such time she wakes up or they catch up with her at the airport. However, on thing that bothered Leo the most, with her desire to keep Mindy from ninja training, Gabby could be running straight into trouble instead. He realized that they would need a lot of help if they were to find her beforehand. The frightening thing was he was confident that she had enough ninja training that she would know how to elude them long enough to get where she wanted to be.

Raph then suggested, "Mike, call Don's terminal at San Jose and make sure they know what's going on. That reception room would be a great place to keep her until we arrive. Make sure they act normally, though; have them do whatever they would normally do, 'kay?"

"Right on it, Bro!" he chirped and had the number dialed up before finishing his statement.

Raph then went over to the breakfast bar where his son and Rama were standing. He grabbed up an apple from the fruit bowl and looked at Devon, smirking once at him and then at Rama. He then winked at the two of them before heading over to the couch to sit down.

"What's his problem?" Rama asked Devon, her suspicions growing as she studied his father. He looked back at her, smiled, and then crunched into his apple as if quite amused with something.

Devon turned around so that the two of them had their backs to the other four. "Well," he replied hesitantly, his voice low, "you know how hard it is keeping secrets in a ninja clan?"

Rama's eyes went a little wide and her mouth dropped open a bit. She shook her head as if in denial as she asked quietly in a nearly strangled voice, "You have to be kidding me, right?"

"'Fraid not, love." Devon sighed, hugging her a little more. He heard her groan inwardly; sympathizing with her pain, but it was a done deal that everyone knew about their little tryst from earlier.

Then, Rama grimaced a bit, growling defiantly, "If any of them says anything to me, I'll tell Raph what he married in my world, so he can't complain about what we did. Then, I'd tell Sensei not to intrude in my affairs as I don't intrude in his and, considering how I heard from Riahna how Seth was conceived, he best not be going there. As for Mike…" Rama just smiled a bit. "Well, at home my dad insists I'm not supposed to go '_there'_ until I am in my eighties." Devon smiled down at her. Rama shook her head and rolled her eyes, quoting her father, "Always told me, 'not gonna happen, not in my lifetime'."She laughed a little and wondered what her father would say about her little romance with Devon. _"If dad only knew what I know now, he'd find any means possible to get to this world and pound Devon's tail to mush!"_

Recalling what Rama had said about his dad's twin, Devon glanced at her curiously and asked, "What do you mean 'what Raph married in your world?"

Rama's irritation gave way to a little mischievous snigger, her grin growing as wide as her face. She replied quite innocently as she looked up at Devon, "When I told Sensei here about Aunt Sara, I said she was a nurse. However, I just didn't tell him how she paid for her schooling. Basically, my Uncle Raphael married an ex 'lady of the night'!"

Devon's eyes widened as he took in that bit of information. Yet, all he could do in response was sputter and stammered as he asked, mouthing the words, "He – he married a _hooker_?" She grinned even more, nodding her head, "Yep! Wouldn't that just get your dad's goat, eh?" She chuckled as she imagined Raph's expression - if he ever found out about that little bitty fact.

It was around three-fifteen in the morning and everyone was waiting anxiously in the family room while Mike talked on the phone. It had taken a bit of work to get in touch with Don's terminal where the grounds crew was slowly filtering in based on the time Gabby was supposed to be there. Consequently, the main airport operator had him on hold until someone had arrived. Finally, after several long minutes, the operator put Mike through to an attendant. Once he shared with the girl about Gabby without going into too much detail and what they wanted her to do, Leo suddenly interrupted him, "Tell the attendant to let Gabby get settled once she arrives and not to do anything to upset her or tip her off." He paused for a moment and then explained, "If Gabs hears too many reasons why she can't get on the plane right away, and she just might panic. They have to prep the plane anyway and with the restrictions on any take-offs before six-thirty, she'll have a good wait." He thought for a moment, adding, "Also, have the girl tell Gabby that the pilot will be a little late."

"Well, looks like we have our bases covered. I'm glad we know where she is at least." Seth commented in relief. "I just hope that cabby can stall long enough without making her suspicious."

"Well," Raph commented, "If the jet can't take off until six-thirty, then she'll be in for a long wait once she gets to the airport."

"Gabby may be your daughter, Raph, but she's my wife and you don't know her as well as you think!" Seth commented sarcastically, "She'll be getting paranoid after twenty minutes."

Rama then asked, "How long does it take to get to San Jose, anyway?"

Mike and Raph both answered together, "'Bout two hours or less."

"Like I said, she'll be hoofin' it long before we arrive!" Seth grumped. He was beginning to feel normal again, the affects of the tea finally wearing off.

Rama then asked, "Why not lock her in the plane once she gets on?"

"For one thing," Leo answered, "She could tear that plane apart, even in her condition! Don is quite meticulous about how his jets are treated. I doubt very much we want his ire against her to be any greater than it will be once he learns about what Gabby was trying to do." Then, he pursed his lips, "Plus, I doubt very much she'll venture outside of the airport terminal. She's not that bold. More than likely, if Don's boys won't fly her, she'll try to catch a commercial jet, instead."

"Then, it's only a matter of getting on Don's jet and beating her to wherever she's going!" Raph smirked.

By the time they were ready to head out to the SUV, Rahab had ventured downstairs to find out what all the noise was. It seemed Mike's absence from their bed and all the talking going on downstairs had woken her up. Once Rahab was told about Gabby and Min, she lit into Leo, her voice condescending, "If you'd had just been a little more patient, Leo, this wouldn't have happened!"

"Look, Rahab, Gabby already pushed the envelope of my patience!" Leo replied hotly, before Mike intervened.

"Rahab, darling, why don't you go back upstairs and sleep, 'kay? We'll handle it and get Gabs and Min both back." Mike crooned to his wife.

"Oh, and I suppose you can just ninja drive on over to the airport lickity-split?" she said sarcastically.

Rolling his eyes, her husband replied tartly, "No, the SUV can go only so fast; it wasn't designed to 'go ninja'! Plus, there are speed limits. But I promise NOT to take my time, **_a' right?_**" Mike was already tired, himself, and he didn't want any arguments, so he dispensed with the pleasantries, "So, GET upstairs and please wait. We'll be home before breakfast."

Rahab grouched once more before heading upstairs, and then she turned around and asked sarcastically, "So, what if she calls? What do you want me to tell her?"

Mike shook his head, "Act surprised, 'kay? Just don't let her know that were coming after her, not unless she's changed her mind. Then, find out where she is and then call my cell."

Rahab nodded sullenly, yawned once, and then continued up the steps, disappearing as the stairs bent around towards the second story.

A few moments later, the six ninja piled into the car and Mike soon had the SUV rolling down the long driveway towards Highway One and heading north for San Jose.

As they drove through Carmel and then Monterey, Rama didn't even pause to worry about not having a disguise on. After all, it was still night out and the shadows would help hide her. However, she couldn't help but think about all of the problems Gabby might run into. Where she was a young pregnant mother with a child in tow, it was worse where she was also a mutant. Rama had seen all too often what happened to single woman on the streets and back alleys of New York, even ones who were in Gabby's condition. While Carmel, and maybe California as a whole, didn't seem to be as bad a place for those types of crimes, Rama was sure that crime did happen even here.

It made it even more urgent to find Seth's wife and daughter.

****

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS: _**

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Ah yes Rama's trip into the kitchen and Gabby's world just might be the key to getting her home, though the prospect isn't a happy one for Rama at the moment not with Devon so near. What Leo sees on the recording system may or may not bring him answers. Things are bound to get very interesting though and Leo might have a lot to do before he gets any real answers. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB reader_**_: As I said before what ever you are comfortable with and from here on in it should be safe and enjoyable reading for you. I don't think we plan on doing any thing more along that line. Trouble? Ah, I would say that they both are in to some of that. Your prediction meanwhile looks pretty good! A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: Well Devon is in his late twenties, Rama is eighteen going on nineteen so it isn't like they are young kids who aren't of age to consent. Nor can Leo really put a stop to such actions he probably knows that he has to leave it up to the youngsters to make the right decision. However Leo can slow things down by getting them to consider the consequences of their actions. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Leo Oneal_**_: Come now, Rama and Devon did do something wrong. Rama is not to have contact with the family during her isolation and what she is doing with Devon is definitely not doing as she was told, which was to meditate and reflect upon her behaviour. As for Gabby well that matter will be resolved in time with, or without, Leo throwing books at his family for their misdeeds. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_SAILOR VEGETA: _**_Rama does have a big decision to make, doesn't she? LOL Lots of things yet to happen, as the next few chapters will show. Hoping to make a few readers get gray hair in the process, too. Glad you're enjoying the story. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_LEO ONEAL_**_: Well, in this fic, Leo isn't as strict as you think he is or would want him to be. Although I've made Leo stricter than how Wendy wrote him in Rahab' and Seth, where he is mellower in her stories than in mine, he's still very much as she described him to be. Wendy made him very laid back and not interested in posturing himself one bit, except early on with his son in '**Seth'**. As for Devon and Rama, they didn't have any business taking advantage of their situation. They are both future jonins and should have exercised better control with what they wanted to do. They should have denied themselves and went their separate ways. After all, Rama only had a few hours to go before being released. Yet, to keep true to their characters, Ramica and I wanted to explore 'temptation'. I think D & R failed the test! LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Yeah, glad to hear we did the right thing. Still may tone it down, though, to bring it back to PG13, if only to make the story accessible for those who are prohibited from reading anything with that rating. The story will not lean any more in that direction than that and, in fact, will probably continue in the PG arena. We only labeled it PG13 for safety purposes. Well, 'open' meaning 'permissive'? No, not so much as realizing that who else are Devon and Rama going to be interested in? If Rama stays, it's a done deal they'll get married, although I am a strong proponent of waiting until the 'I do's' are said before intimacy. All we did here was follow a natural course of events concerning the personalities and the mind-set of two eager young people. Basically, trying to keep them true to their character and personality profiles. Believe me, I wrestled a great deal with allowing that scene to develop as it did. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Well, I respect and am impressed that you 'skimmed' over particular parts. It didn't take much of that chapter and I do hope the 'watered down' version was acceptable. If not, please let us know and we'll work even harder at toning it down. Hard to do, given the direction they wanted to take their relationship. As stated in the above comments, I support chastity until the vows are said. Not a popular belief these days, but from my experience, there's less baggage to carry around! Trust me on that one! Yes indeed, Rama is in for it, but not as much as someone else as this chapter has revealed! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	42. Distractions

**_DISCLAIMER_**_: Nope, still waiting…dum, dum, dum. Okay, enough waiting - on with the story…._

**CHAPTER 42 - DISTRACTIONS**

As the cabby drove along the Eight-eighty Freeway, his two passengers napped peacefully in the back seat. Although Gabby had greatly diluted her portion of the same tea she had given to Seth, once she had finally calmed down it was still strong enough to give her the nods. As it was, making good with her escape had been all she really needed in order to relax. Once she and Mindy were on their way, she knew the chance of someone from the family catching them was minimal at best. As she settled down, so, too, did the baby inside of her Slowly, the gentle hum of the car finally had lulled Gabriella to sleep, as the dark cloak of night wrapped snug around her. She did stir just a little when the driver's cell phone went off a while later, as they were nearing San Jose. Luckily for him, however, it wasn't enough to pull her out of her dreams. Despite the minor disturbance, Gabby was able to settle back down to sleep peacefully while the cabby listened to her uncle's requests.

The driver looked back at his two passengers as he listened to the person on the other end of the call. He smiled at the young child, securely wrapped within the arms of her sleeping mother. The red-haired toddler was obviously dreaming, where her petit mouth worked as if she were talking to someone in her slumber. Then, as Mike gave him new orders, the cabby sadly shook his head. Sighing and then ending the call, he snapped his phone closed. He soon saw the sign for the airport, but instead of taking the exit, he continued on along the freeway. His orders were to keep driving until five-thirty, so long as those in back stayed asleep. Then, he was supposed to head on over to the airport where their family would intercept them. He looked at the clock on the dashboard. Reading two-fifty A.M., he knew it would be pretty tough to keep the cab rolling along until the requested time, not without the mother waking up before then. Still, all he could do was his best and hope that, if and when she did wake, his excuse of getting lost would be believed.

_"Sad,"_ he thought as he looked at her, _"running away like that in her condition. What's this world coming to?"_ The driver vaguely wondered if maybe she had good reasons to run, but then he knew quite a bit about the owner of the company and how kind he was. How could anyone fault his family, then, for wanting this mother back? More than likely, she had become upset over some simple thing or possibly she had a fight with her husband. With his own experience with his wife's pregnancies, the driver knew that hormonal imbalances could explain the girl's need to flee instead of dealing with her problems rationally. Still, the driver gave a regretful shake of his head just thinking about it.

After a while, Gabby stirred. Something didn't seem quite right. As her eyes opened and she struggled to focus, she found herself propped up against the window and looking at the passing scenery. From her prior experiences with traveling to the airport, she realized that she didn't recognize any of the landmarks as the car sped down the highway. Even though it was still dark out, the city's lights along the thoroughfare did a decent job of illuminating the general area. She scrunched her face a little and blinked her eyes to clear them in order to get a better look at things. Then, as she yawned she took in a deep breath to rid her mind of the lingering affects from the tea.Gabby did her best to get a bearing on where they were at, because by her reasoning, they should have been at the airport by now. However, the more she stared out the window, the more she became alarmed. Not one thing seemed familiar to her.

Quickly straightening up in her seat, she looked up at the driver and anxiously asked, "Wh - where are we?"

"Ma'am, I'm so sorry, but I was a little turned around. I've never driven outside my route before. We're only a little lost. In fact, I only finished talking with dispatch a while ago, so we're good to go. Be at the airport in no time!" He replied.

Still somewhat sleepy from the tea's affects, Gabby nodded in foggy understanding to the cabby's explanation. She then proceeded to look idly out the passenger window.

As the cabby looked at the clock, he saw that he had managed nearly an hour's worth of driving before his passenger finally awoke. It wasn't as long as he had been asked to do, but it was a sight better than if she had awakened right after the owner's brother called. As it was, the driver was grateful he had filled the gas tank right before picking up his passengers; otherwise, he would have been in dire straits. Now, it would take another thirty minutes to get to the airport, which meant that whoever was coming for the young mutant would only be that much farther behind in time. It was the best he could do, unless he managed to distract her even more once they arrived at their destination.

With her mind gradually waking, it didn't take Gabriella long to think back to her current situation. The more she thought, the more it reminded her of other things that generated the same feelings she was presently experiencing. The turmoil raging inside of her took her back three years prior to when she had first met Don and her father, Raphael. Gabby's sequestered lifestyle then had stunted her own emotional growth, making her fearful and insecure. Other than the professor and her music coach – whom she later learned to be her own mother, but in disguise - she rarely interacted with people. In fact, she considered Professor Jordan Perry her father, only because he assumed that roll with her for twenty-five years. However, unbeknown to her and quite amazing to think about, he was directly responsible for the existence of those who were to eventually become her family.

As she reminisced and with some amusement, Gabby recalled how terrified she was the first time she had laid eyes on Don and Raph. To her, they had been like something out of a horror movie, strange and intimidating. It mattered not that she was similar to them in appearance. After all, the only people she was used to socializing with were her surrogate father and music coach, both of whom were human. Still, Gabby's initial reaction with being forced onto Don's jet on her way out to California rather than riding in his car had certainly rivaled their first meeting. Her fear of flying had nearly incapacitated her, but, as it turned out, not nearly as much as Don's posturing had. Now, after three years of getting to know him, it gave her a better understanding of how taxing she had been. Don actually ended up being a rather mellow member of the clan. Much to her relief, he was not one for confrontations if he could help it and certainly the least likely to blow his top over nothing. He did have his principles and was at time quite exacting with details. Yet, she had to smile a little to herself. It seemed rather amusing to her that in such a short amount of time from when he first picked her up, she had virtually undone the patience of the passive ninja.

As she thought back, she chuckled a little with another memory. Aside from her flying experience, Gabby thought of how they had forced her to dine with them in a restaurant. She couldn't help but recall her enormous fear about eating out in public without the comfort of her cloak. In hopes of forcing her to deal with her shyness, Don had deliberately hidden the garment from Gabby. Eventually, with advice from his valet, Don did cave to her pleas for it. Still, she would never forget how threatening he was to her in trying to extricate her from the limo. In some ways, that experience allowed her to sympathize with Rama's own fear of going public without her disguise, even though the kunoichi's concerns were based more on the way she lived in her world. Still, thinking about her own early days with the family, Gabby couldn't help but smile a little at the recollection. Knowing her own nature, had she been aware of how Don truly was back then, there was no telling how far she would have pushed him. As it turned out, he had intimidated her well enough at the time to convince her to think otherwise.

Now, as she contemplated her current actions, Gabby was glad that her uncle was elsewhere. She knew how he could, on a moments notice, become so imposing that he would frighten her to death. Consequently, the last thing she'd want hounding her was Don Tello. _"Thank goodness Japan's too far away for him to reach me here!"_ she quietly sighed in relief. _"As for the others, I can only hope that they haven't noticed my absence yet. Even, on the odd chance they have, they're probably too far behind to stop me anyway."_

As they approached the interchange to San Jose International, there was a subtle shift in the driver's mood. Gabby caught it immediately. Glancing up at his rear view mirror, she noticed him looking back at her. He quickly averted his eyes, though, concentrating again on the road ahead of him. However, just at the point where he should have been moving over towards the exit, he commented, "Ma'am, the terminal is open but flights aren't allowed out until after six-thirty. That's almost a two hour wait. Are you sure you want to be dropped off now?"

Gabby replied, "Yes, I'm sure." However, she mulled over his unexpected concern. _"Strange that he would bring this fact up now._ _Maybe when he called his dispatch for directions, they informed him then about the airport hours," _she thought to herself. Still, one would think he would have mentioned that twenty minutes earlier when she had first woken up. Gabby saw him look back at her once again. _"Why is he looking at me?"_ she wondered to herself.

The cabby studied her a little before trying again, "Your little one will most likely wake up if jostled too much; she's been quite a good little girl so far. I don't mind driving around for a while; won't charge it to your bill." He looked at her hopefully, but also afraid that maybe he was trying too hard.

Gabby narrowed her eyes at the driver for a moment, wondering why he was trying so hard to keep her on the move. What was that phone call about, anyway, she thought to herself. She remembered having the vaguest recollection of a cell phone ringing, but she originally thought it was a something from her dreams. Had his dispatch called him instead? It seemed strange that his company would call _him. _The more she thought about it, though, the more she was convinced that she did in deed hear a phone go off while she slept Still, if he were lost, wouldn't he have called them, instead? If they had indeed called him, maybe it was about something else. If it was his dispatch, were they telling him to keep her in the cab? If so, why would they want him to do that? It seemed unlikely that a cabby would get lost, regardless if her destination was his normal route or not. Weren't they supposed to know how to get around? Wouldn't he have at least looked at a map or get directions before even picking her up?

As her innate ability to read people kicked in, all these questions buzzed around in her head like a hive of angry bees. Looking at the dashboard clock, Gabby noted that they had been on the road for a good hour past when she should have already arrived at the airport. That was when her concerns began to raise sudden doubts and foreboding about the driver.Lost or not, it seemed rather strange for him to offer to driver her around, not to mention giving her free service. The only reason she could think of was that her family was aware of her absence. The more she thought about it, the more she was certain that they were now working through the taxi company to get the cabby's cooperation. That meant they must have found her and knew where she was heading. Gabby already figured they would eventually determine how she managed to leave the estate. Yet, she had truly hoped for more time. She was not at all happy or secure in knowing that they were on to her so quickly. It was becoming too obvious that in choosing her uncle's cab company – as logical a choice for her as she could have made - that it might have been far better to deal with a different one all the way around. She was realizing too late that had she done so, it would have thrown them off her track and kept them busy trying locate her.

Where she didn't know how long ago the driver had talked with his dispatch, it was hard to tell how far behind Leo and the others might be. They could be minutes away, or a couple of hours. How they discovered that she was missing so soon, though, was beyond her. The tea she that had served Seth had been triple in strength. It should have had him out until morning, if not later. Gabby grouched to herself for her ineptness, _"His ninja training must have something to do with it!" _Yet, currently her only concern was getting to the airport. She looked at the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was now four-thirty. "Just take me to the American Airlines drop-off, please." She insisted curtly. She wasn't the least bit happy with having lost so much time. Still, Gabby was aware that she was stuck anyway where the airport had its pre six-thirty flight restrictions. Either way, she knew she would be cutting it close.

"Okay, Miss," the cabby said, taking the 101 Freeway north. He then headed towards the airport exit. "But all of their concession stands and restaurants are closed right now," he stated casually, "There's a little restaurant up the ways, about a mile or two, if you wanna t'get somethin' to eat? They're open twenty-four. I can keep the cab runnin' for ya at no charge."

"No thanks, I just want to get to the _airport_." Gabby insisted irritably. Her suspicious nature suddenly spiked. Everything the cabby was doing just didn't seem to feel quite right to her. He was trying to hard to keep her moving and away from her destination. This fact now warned her that her family was indeed on their way and they were close, she just knew it. Still it didn't matter; she wasn't about to let Leo take her daughter away from her. She then adjusted the still sleeping Mindy in her arms as the cab soon took the Airport Parkway exit. She tried to calm her nerves because it was becoming all the more apparent that with the cabby's offer to take her to a restaurant, he was just trying to distract her.

Once onto the parkway, they headed west, soon merging north along Airport Blvd. They followed the road in that direction a little ways before it turned around towards the drop-off point by the terminals. As the road rounded and turned south again to run alongside Terminal A, Gabby pointed and exclaimed, "There, stop at the American Airlines departure area."

Sighing and realizing there wasn't much he could do, the cabby pulled up in front of the drop off zone and put the taxi in park. He kept the motor running, however, as he stepped out of the car. Before she could open her door, thought, the cabby was already around to her side and trying to help her. Swiftly flinging the door open, he offered, "Mrs. Angelo, why don't you wait right here while I get the stroller. Then, I'll take your bag up to pre check."

"NO, ah, no…no thank-you," she stammered, "I – I don't mind doing it, really, I don't."

"It isn't any problem at all, let me help," the cabby insisted nervously. This was not going as he had hoped it would.

"Please, I'm quite capable, despite my obvious pregnant condition. Just get the stroller and my bag." Gabby snapped. She was starting to lose patience with the man. If he was under orders to keep her distracted, she couldn't fault him for following such directions. Still, if he understood why she was at the airport in the first place, she was certain he might not be so eager to comply. Just the same, Gabby knew better than to try and enlist the sympathies of non-clan members. The repercussions would be astronomical. There was no telling how bad the fall-out would be if the world knew her mutant family were ninja. The last thing she would want to cause was trouble in that way.

As she eased herself out of the back of the car, Gabriella chanced a look at the clock on the dashboard one last time. It read four-forty, roughly one hour and fifty minutes before any planes could take off from the airport. If her family were on their way, she might not have time to escape them. Just the same, she was already here. With the driver seemingly in the know about her need to get away, she truly couldn't rely on him for help. In panic, Gabby decided to follow through with her original plans until something better came along. After all, taking his cab to a new destination would only mean her family would still be able to find her. Her desperate situation only made her nervous, which only increased the activity of the child within her. She rubbed her swollen stomach gently to calm the baby down, all the while holding onto her sleeping daughter.

The man finally brought the fully enabled stroller up to her, so that Gabby could gently laid Mindy down into it. "Thank you, I appreciate your help, but I can see to the rest," she assured the man. She then took her suitcase from him and pulled it behind her. She noted how hesitant the cabby was to release her, as if he was failing his job in some way. He shifted somewhat on his feet and looked furtively around a bit, almost trying to find a reason to keep her from going inside the terminal. Still, he couldn't make her stay in the car, nor could he force his help onto her. Not unless he wanted to explain to the security personnel, who was only a few feet away, why he wouldn't leave the mutant female alone. Consequently, the cabby tipped his hat and smiled, saying, "Good day to you, miss. Hope you have a nice flight. Oh, forgot to ask - where yer goin'?"

Gabby knew, then, that the man had been following orders; probably given to him from dispatch through someone within the clan. She stopped and turned around to face the driver. Smiling, she replied, "Hawaii!" and then pulled at her suitcase while pushing the stroller up towards the guarded entrance.

A while later Gabby found herself in front of another terminal door. She was tired. Being nearly nine months pregnant, it was taxing to be running all over the place and now she was desperate to sit down. Earlier, she had evaded the scrutiny of the cab driver quite easily, calling upon what little she knew about slipping away unobserved. However, when she was still at the American Airlines terminal, she had noticed him whip out his cell phone as soon as he was back in his car. From an angle inside the terminal, hidden from his view, Gabby watched as the man's mouth moved a mile a minute. The cabby was obviously explaining his failure to his dispatch and more than likely sharing the information she had given to him about where she was going. She smiled a little to herself, knowing that misinformation was one way to distract those who were in pursuit. Diverting the family was very important at this stage since it was obvious they didn't have any qualms about distracting her in the first place. With their mind now on the fact that she was flying commercial and not on Don's private jet, she rested a bit easier. Then, after the cabby had left the terminal, she took a tram to where she was now currently standing.

Now, she was at Don's private departure point. Gabby found it quite interesting that the airport would allow him to build one. Yet, with all of his wealth and security concerns, as well as his ability to talk the 'spots off a leopard, the terminal was nonetheless built. More than likely, he had donated a sizable sum of money for something important at the facility.

Immediately, she was ushered in, her own appearance making it quite obvious what family she was related to. That and the fact that she had visited this terminal on a few occasions whenever she flew with the clan. She smiled at the guard, who smiled back in reply as he recognized her, and then she proceeded towards the heart of the reception area.

"Hello, Mrs. Angelo," a voice came to her, "My name is Jen. I have the lounge room all set up for you per Captain Williams' request. Come this way, please."

Gabby looked up and found that the voice belonged to a young woman who appeared to be in her mid twenties. As she approached her, Gabriella momentarily wondered if the girl was aware of her situation. She noted Jen's broad smile that spoke of her friendly personality. The girl seemed genuine without the least bit of duplicity in her, so Gabby finally smiled back.

The girl was outfitted in a teal-green dress suit, crisply ironed and quite professional looking. Despite the hour, her cheery smile and bright blue eyes were very welcoming. The young lady's persona gave the impression that whoever she was serving, they were her most important job. She stood a bit taller than Gabby, sporting blonde hair that was clipped back to reveal a clean, blemish-free face. A light dab of make-up nicely accentuated her pretty features. "Please, this way, Mrs. Angelo. The room we have prepared for you has a crib already set up for your little one." The girl looked down at the sleeping child and gushed, "Awe, they're so cute at that age!"

"Thank you very much." Gabby replied wearily. Yes, it would be nice, she said to herself, to have Mindy in a crib, rather than in a confining stroller. The mother then followed the girl along, soon coming to the lounge. Where the glass door was, a wall made of the same material provided an open feeling, allowing whoever was inside to look out. As the girl opened the door for her, she asked, "Can I get you some coffee, or maybe a donut? Unfortunately, the commissary won't be opened for another hour. Also, Captain Williams has asked to relay his regrets that he won't be here for another thirty minutes."

"Thank you. Some coffee would be nice." Gabby would certainly help her throw off the last remnants of the tea's affect. With the family in pursuit she would need to have her mind working in high gear anyway. She wasn't too thrilled, though, that the captain was going to be late. She looked at the clock on the wall, which displayed departure times as well as real time. Her breath hitched a little as she saw that it was now five o'clock. Not knowing how far behind Seth and the others might be, she knew it would be a race against time to get away from them. Still, she had to act calm inside the terminal so that she would not create any suspicions that something was wrong.

As Gabriella proceeded to push the stroller ahead of her while pulling her suitcase along from behind, the hostess offered, "Oh, let me take your luggage and have it loaded in the jet for you, okay?" She easily took Gabby's suitcase from her as the mother gratefully released it to the girl's care. "The jet won't be ready for boarding until around six, though. So, if you want, you can rest until then!" She smiled brightly and then left to do her errands as she closed the glass door behind her. Gabby was now all alone for the first time since leaving the estate.

For a moment, she took in a deep breath and sighed. It was so peaceful, now that she was out of the cab and finally at her destination. Normally, whenever Gabby flew with the family, they always went straight to the jet. Never did they have to wait since Don's grounds crew always had things ready to go the moment they arrived. Therefore, the reception room was a new experience for her. She soon notice the small, portable crib set up at the back of the room. She smiled and pushed the stroller over to it. The room itself was large for a reception area, offering comfortable overstuffed couches, a few easy chairs, and a large screen plasma television. The walls were painted a soft teal green, an easy color on the eyes which helped to calm her even more. The floors were carpeted in a soft, noise reducing material, sporting a print that went nicely with the soft green walls. Gabby could also detect the scent of sandalwood and smiled as she recognized yet another stress-reducing technique. It seemed to her that her Uncle Don thought of everything. Then, she noticed an assortment of wireless headphones with remote hand controls that were neatly ensconced on the walls for safekeeping. One more perk which provided for private listening, probably giving the user an option of either watching whatever was on the plasma or their choice of music, if they preferred.

As she gently laid the still sleeping Mindy down into the portable crib, Gabby's thoughts went back to her family again. Already she was missing them. Leaving was probably the hardest thing she had ever done, outside of when she had left the professor. Yet, she was determined to keep her daughter from being trained up as a killer. If it was the last thing she ever did, she would protect her sweet and innocent Mindy from that fate.No one would ever be able to convince her that ninjitsu would benefit her daughter in any way. She had seen enough of it to know what it related to. In her opinion and based on her experience in the forest three year prior, ninja were trained to kill; a plain and simple fact. It wasn't karate and it certainly wasn't tae kwon do; the art her family practiced meant business. The invasion of their home had involved killing or being killed, an experience that Gabby would never be able to forget. It also seemed to her that she was still having a difficult time getting over it, too.

Thinking back to the Musical Note, when Rama had gone after Gabby's mother, the kunoichi's intent was to kill her. Gabby didn't have any trouble sensing that fact in the girl. She had to admire Rama for not disputing it when all was said and done, but it bothered her just the same. Especially when Rama admitted that she had killed before back in her world. Maybe for her, it was a matter of survival, but Gabby still shuddered at the thought.She hadn't wanted to leave Seth, but if she stayed, then she knew that Leo would take her baby and then train her to be something she wasn't. It went against everything that she had come to believe. Her adopted Christian faith just would not allow such a thing to happen.

Yet, everything Gabby had done this night had gone against her beliefs, where Seth was the head of the household. Over the past three years she had learned to allow him to make decisions regarding their family, even though he did enlist her opinion with everything. Yet, concerning the clan's tradition of training their children to be ninja, she just couldn't go along with it. Remembering their argument from before her first attempt to leave the property, Gabby sighed in frustration.

"What about your Christianity, Seth? Doesn't that sort of conflict with this ninjitsu tradition?" she had hotly asked him. They had been going at it for a good hour before she mentioned his faith, which culminated with her packing her bags and then trying to leave the estate.

"Yes it does, but I can't stop being who I am, Gabby. I've been trained this way since I was three; it's the way it is." he had replied with equal irritation. "I don't practice bushido, okay and I don't go out and just kill, all right? That's not all what ninjitsu is about. But the training part, learning how to defend your self, to sense danger, that's not going against my beliefs." He replied earnestly.

Maybe her revulsion was because of her experiences with being trained so late in life, with not having the benefit of being raised in such a family as Seth had been. At twenty-five years of age to all of a sudden be thrown into a way of life that conflicted to how she was raised seemed overwhelming. The way Leo challenged Gabby on her fears when he trained her and how terrified she was of him was probably one of the main reasons why she refused to back down this time. _"If that was how Leo had dealt with me, what would he do with Mindy, who is only a baby," she lamented. _

Never again did she ever want to feel so intimidated.

Then, remembering her long hours in the dojo, the exhaustion she felt at the end of each day, only to be schooled on the clan's history in the evening, left her frustrated. Add to that her experience with Jason and how he had raped her, it was hard to separate the two. What made it worse was when the clan didn't seem to want to listen to what she had to say about the matter. As she was told, clan members weren't allowed to hurt humans but then she wondered if it was okay if humans to abuse clan members – or her? That's the way it had seemed back then when no one wanted to listen to her side of her problem with Jason. In the end, because of those restrictions, she felt forced to go along with her tormentor's demands. It was either that, or have him follow through with his threats against Mike and Don, where they could lose possibly all that they had fought so hard to achieve. Only later did she learn that her family had other measures to deal with Jason, but by then it was too late. He had violated her repeatedly and eventually she became pregnant with Mindy because of him. Even now, she still associated those events too closely with each other, developing revulsion and, at best, a fear of what the clan espoused. The fight in the forest certainly didn't help. In fact, it had terrified her with how she had dipped into her own emerging ninjitsu. That was three years ago.Where she had been willing to kill Jason had disturbed and upset her a great deal, for that wasn't the way she was. The anger and rage she had felt at that time had surprised her and it had taken some time to understand it. However, up until now, she had been thoroughly into being a mom, running a home, and enjoying being Seth's wife. Nevertheless, to maintain her daughter's innocence and keep her away from the clan's unnecessary tradition, she had to leave all of that behind. It had become her obsession. Now, her daughter would have to come first.

Initially, while in the den back at home and trying to figure out what to do, she had thought maybe she could talk some sense into her mother. She had momentarily considered going to her mom's shop and hiding out there. Yet, after the long and argumentative talk she had with Cassie the day Rama trashed her shop, her mom seemed to have taken Leo's point of view every step of the way. Leo only confirmed that fact when he admitted to her about telling Cassandra ahead of time regarding his decision to move Mindy to Japan. In the end, Gabby just couldn't trust her own mother for sanctuary. Going it alone didn't appeal to her, either. Still, with her half-sister now back in London, she knew that there was at least one place she could go to, one person who would take her in who just might help keep her hidden. Serena knew about her mother's past, now, being brought up to speed around the time of Mindy's birth. Although her half-sister took it in stride, Gabby could sense a bit of surprise and shock from her. Nothing was ever said, but Gabby was quite certain that Serena could be trusted to be her ally in this situation. As she sat there, she realized that maybe a quick call to her sister would be prudent; just to give her a heads up on Gabby's impending visit.

As she took out her cell phone and activated it, she noticed that Seth had indeed attempted to contact her. Their number showed up as a missed call and, noticing the time it was made, caused her to suck in her breath. She realized then that considering how the cabby had behaved, her family must not be too far behind. Looking at the cell phone once again, she noted that Seth had tried almost three hours earlier to get in touch with her. She contemplated how much time it would take for him to alert his family; that is if he had made the call before doing so, and how long it would take for them to figure things out. If they had managed to get on the road by three, then they could be arriving at any time, unless work-bound traffic slowed them down. Yet in that moment and knowing how on edge she was, Gabby wondered if maybe she was overacting too much. It was what Seth had accused her of doing only a few days ago.

Still, she knew that she was in a difficult spot. There wasn't any way that she could turn back now, not even if she wanted to. If she changed her mind and called home, not only would she be in trouble, but more than likely Leo would take Mindy immediately.  It wouldn't matter what she said or did then, he would take her daughter just to keep her from interfering again where training was concerned. Suffice it to say, Gabby would be between that proverbial rock and a hard place. Therefore, whatever she did here on out, the ends would have to justify the means. Getting her daughter as far from Leo and the others would have to validate her actions. So far, everything had gone as planned. That is except for the cabby's attempts to delay her and the problem about leaving when she had originally wanted to, not to mention Seth waking up long before he should have. With any luck, Gabby was certain she and her daughter would be well on their way before the family arrived. With what little she had left, she needed all the luck she could get.

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TB reader_**_: Hmm you could be right about who is in more trouble. While it might not be necessary to have Rama with them to help look for Gabby, one never knows when an extra set of eyes or hands might come in handy. that plus Rama is still more connected to her battle ready roots then, then the mutants of this world was probably enough for Leo to decide it couldn't hurt having her assistance._

_A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sausage_**_: Love that pen name, maybe because it reminds me of my little weiner dog. No Leo's name is not God but as leader of the clan he does have to make difficult decisions from time to time that deal with other members of the clan. These decisions might not always be viewed in the best light by all those involved and such was the case here. Though it seems Gabby does have some staunch supporters of her own. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Teddybear888_**_: That is okay review where you can. I think Leo is very much against little baby Rama and Devon running around if only because he is trying to get Rama home and back in her world it would be a lot harder for Rama to care for a child with the added responsibility and no husband to help. Though the skill to teleport just might come in handy for visiting one another. But long distance relationships don't always work out the couple have to be very committed. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Leo Oneal_**_: When dealing with more than one crisis at a time one must get their priorities straight. I don't think there are any plans to marry Leo off in this world as he is quite happy being celibate ( except for his one instance with Rahab that conceived Seth.) and running his school in Japan. As for Rama if she stays in that world she won't need as much training and might start slacking off in the ninjitsu department to some extent. The way Rama feels about Devon I really don't think she'd care to follow Leo to Japan and leave her love behind. As for Leo and Gabby keep watching. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEUACHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_LEO ONEAL: _**_I know that Wendy had wanted Leo to find a gal of his own, one who was as well steeped in the 'arts' as he was, probably someone he meets at his Ryu in Osaka, Japan. That was a thought she had, but decided writing such a long story as she did with her three classics was too daunting. The ideas are there, just not the wherewithal. Anyway, maybe one day, but at his age he's probably past the interest. Guess how old he is? Well, do the math, that's all I can say. As far as when and if he confronts Gabby, we're still working on that – believe it or not. Who will train Mindy? Oh, that's still on the drawing board. Won't tell. Where will she be trained? Again, that ol' darn drawing board is keeping mum about that, too! Either way, by staying faithful to the updates, eventually you and everyone else will find out soon enough. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TEDDYBEAR888_**_: Hey, touching base whenever is fine with us. Glad to see you're still reading. School should always come first, no matter! Yeah, what Gabby is doing seems unfair to the family, yet – as a mom, myself – having your kids taken away is just as unfair. Hee hee, we weren't sure if 40 was overrated, but the consensus has been pretty much right where you are on it. So, unless we rewrite it and tone it down, looks like the story stays in the R section, even though the rest of it is mostly PG. Ah well, better safe than sorry! Well, as for the pitter patter of tiny ninja feet, Rama belongs to Ramica, so you'll have to swing that idea over to her! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAUSAUGE_**_: Ooo…a new reviewer! ;0) Coolies. Well, I have to agree with you on this one, she does indeed have the right to decide – if she were one of us, that is. Unfortunately, she isn't. Kind of like celebrities, there are things she can get away with and things she can't. At least in print. Training her daughter to protect herself should be paramount to her own hang-ups. As it is, something else has kicked in and has caused her to react the way she is. As far as Leo is concerned, he is only doing what a trained and seasoned jonin ( leader ) is supposed to do, intercede where it concerns the future safety of a member as well as the clan. Ninja hold to a different norm and set of beliefs than the rest of us do. It is also a historical fact that they would take qualified young away from their families to train up as ninja. With that said, Leo is only doing what he feels he needs to do. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Oh, you don't know the half of it. Gabby's going to be tested more than the clan would want her to be. As for Rama coming along, Leo wanted as many on the road to her recovery as he could acquire. Where you are just beginning to read Yosutebito Daughter, Gabby has some natural talent and abilities handed down to her through her genetics between her father and her mother. Therefore, having a ninja 'on board' with recent experience with tracking – even though all of them are trained in it – was to his advantage. Plus, not knowing how long it would take to recover Gabby, he didn't want Rama in the dojo 'forever'. Add to that her misdeed with being in Devon's room – not to mention what they almost 'did' – he wants her in a position for confrontation. Either way, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	43. Desperate Decisions

**_DISCLAIMER: _****_Certain humanoid, chelonian warriors are owned by two guys from Northampton, or some place like that. Not really sure; I only know that Ramica and I are borrowing them for this story – the chelonian warriors, not the two guys from Northampton. _******

****

**CHAPTER 43 - DESPERATE DECISIONS**

As they drove along the freeway, Mike's cell phone suddenly went off. "Might be our cabby!" He perked up as he answered the call, "Yeah?" Then, he scowled a little as his eye ridges furrowed, "Say what? Hawaii? S'that so, okay, sure…thanks for trying." He closed his phone up and then turned his head slightly back towards the others, "Seems she's planning on Hawaii, if you can believe that! In fact, dispatch said the cabby dropped her off a few minutes ago in front of the American Airlines terminal." Mike then turned back to watch the road in front of him. He looked at the clock and saw that the cabby had managed most of the two hour stall Mike had requested. However, with the way the freeway was filling up with commuters, they'd be hard pressed to make up the remaining thirty minutes. Fortunately, the departure restrictions would aid in keeping Gabby grounded. Sighing, Mike blew out a long frustrated breath of air through his teeth and hoped that his niece would not take off again.

Raph commented, "Why would Gabby go to Hawaii, Leo, and on commercial, no less? It doesn't make any sense." He watched the road ahead as Mike drove the car along the 101. He also noticed that the traffic was beginning to thicken up a bit as the first stage of rush hour began. As the number of red brake lights increased, thus slowing their progress, he swore lightly under his breath and silently complained, _"This traffic is not helping us one bit."_

"No, I think Hawaii is a diversion and so is her drop off point." Before Leo could explain further, Seth abruptly interrupted him.

"Connecticut, she's going to the house in Connecticut!" He looked at Leo, "I'm sure of it, Father!"

"Yes, you may be correct about that, Seth, but then why go where it would be obvious to find her?"

Raph offered, "Maybe Gabs thinks she'll be safe there until she can think of another plan; give herself more time? Either that, or… " He then asked Mike, "Say, can I borrow your cell phone, Bro? Hope Cassie's still up…wait, of course she'll be up – she's pissed off." Raph couldn't forget how Cassandra had to walk off her irritation the last time there was a 'Gabby' issue.

As soon as Mike handed him the phone, Raph dialed up the number and soon had Cassie on the line, "Hey, it's me, Raph…yeah," he paused as he listened to the woman's response, "Well, what can I say, Cass, she's gotta lot of you in her, too! But, I digress, so…" He shook his head and rolled his eyes as he was again interrupted. It was apparent Cassie wasn't quite done with what she had to say to him. "Yeah, yeah…okay, short of putting a tracer on her when she first balked, there's not much we could have done. Had we but known…" He sighed in defeat, realizing his poor choice of words, "Not saying it's your fault, 'kay?" Shaking his head, he exclaimed in exasperation, "Yeah, whatever. Can we please get back to the task at hand?" He growled a bit under his breath and then asked, "I wanna know, is Serena stateside right now?" He waited as he listened, "Ah huh, yeah…really? That good, eh? Great. So…what? She's back in the UK, now?" Raph listened some more and finally commented, "Well, we're not sure exactly where Gab's going, but we have our suspicions she'd planning on Connecticut. Was just wondering if maybe Serena was in town that she might hook up with her. But I guess not…" He was about to end the call when, once again, Cassandra interrupted him. Suddenly, his eyes went a little wide, drawing out his next statement a little, "Is that so? Huh…thanks for the info. Do us a favor, though, call Serena and give her a heads up on this, 'kay? Make sure, though, that if Gab calls her, that Serena doesn't say anything about us! The last thing we're gonna want t'do is fly all over the world trying to find your daughter." Raph was obviously interrupted once more, because soon after he irritably corrected his comment, "Okay, OUR daughter. Yeah…we'll keep ya posted. Thanks!"

Raph hung up the phone, commenting, "Sheesh, you'd think we were married with the way that woman carries on sometimes!"

Whereupon Mike commented, "So, I take it Cass thinks Gabs will go to England?"

"Yep, standing invitation whenever Serena's not on tour. Guess they talked a few days ago and she invited Gabby for a visit, before this situation of ours started up." Raph seethed as he added, "Gab's too much like both of us, I think."

Leo smiled a little and patted his brother on the back of his shell, "And the rest of us, Raph. Remember my taking off for Nepal without letting anyone know?"

"Yeah," his brother admitted and then said, "But you were possessed. Well, it sort of went with 'obsessed', if I remember how you were back in the 'old days'!" He chuckled a little, whereupon his other two brothers joined in, allowing a bit of levity to ease the solemn atmosphere inside the car.

As Gabriella spied the clock across from her on the opposite wall, she noted that it was nearing ten after five. Captain Williams wouldn't be arriving for another twenty minutes, based on what the hostess had told her. Yet, there was this nagging, persistent feeling that wouldn't go away and which said she was running out of time. A ball of anxiety settled into the pit of her stomach as she considered that sobering thought. It made her quite uncomfortable, the muscles across her abdomen tensing as a result.

As she watched the minutes tick off, she thought about other options. Wondering, she asked herself silently, "_Where else could I go? Maybe I could take a bus somewhere, possibly south down to Los Angeles? By then, it would be well after six-thirty when I arrive and then I could fly out without worrying about restrictions – maybe through LAX?"_ Gabby was sure they would have flights to London from that departure point. Maybe she'd just have to bite the bullet and tolerate being stared at. It was something she hated but by going commercial, it would be something she'd have to put up with.

She quickly took up her cell phone and punched in the number for international calls. She gave the operator her sister's number in London and then waited. While she did, she saw the hostess come in with her cup of coffee. "Thanks," Gabby said as the girl handed her the beverage and then turned and walked out of the room, just as the phone on the other end picked up.

Gabby waited until the hostess had closed the door before answering Serena's greeting, "Hi, Serena, this is Gabby!" She tried to sound cheery, as if nothing was amiss. After her sister replied back, Gabby remarked, "Yeah, I thought I'd take you up on that invitation and come out to visit. How about tomorrow sometime?" She waited for what she assumed would be a positive reaction, based on their conversation a few days earlier. Yet, as her sister responded, Gabby soon felt as if she were free-falling, her heart sinking word by word in disappointment, "Oh, you're - not going to be home? Oh, I see…you have a gig in France? But, I thought - you were going to be home for a while?" Trying to hold back her tears of frustration, Gabby finally said, her voice soft with withheld emotion, "I understand, things like that happen. Yeah…well, hope the benefit concert goes well. Yeah…you, too. Love you." With that, she flipped the lid closed on her cell phone and dejectedly tucked it into her coat pocket. Scowling, she then seethed, _"Wouldn't put it past the clan to have mentioned this situation to Serena, just in case! Now what am I going to do?"_

Slumped dejectedly into the couch now, Gabby could only worry as she sipped at her coffee. The more she thought about how Serena was on the phone, how evasive her sister had talked, it was too obvious that she had been tipped off about what was happening. Now, Gabby began to feel the slow rise of panic. She knew she had tried to put as much distance between herself and the rest of the clan. Yet, even her intuition told her that, at any moment, she could expect Seth or someone from the family to walk into the terminal.Still, as highly unlikely as that was, she felt she might only have a short amount of time, depending upon how close her family was to the airport. It all boiled down to when they first found her missing and how soon they were able to get on the road to recover her. They had quite clearly tried to get a step ahead by enlisting help from the taxi driver; that much she was sure of. Now, Gabby knew she would have to turn the tables on them in order to succeed with her mission. Nevertheless, she was beginning to feel that her options were quickly running out. It was this and this alone which led her to believe that her family would be showing up at any given moment.

Anxiously looking out through the glass wall to see if that were true, she held her breath and wondered what she would do if it were. Much to her relief, however, the guard at the front door to the terminal was at ease. It was quite obvious he was not preparing for any in-coming guests, if his yawn and slightly tired expression was any indication.

Glancing down at Mindy, who was still sleeping peacefully in the crib, Gabby sighed. She truly had not wanted to drug her own daughter, yet, she knew it had been prudent for her to do so. She was quite relieved to see that it the tea was doing an excellent job of keeping the young girl asleep. So far, it was the only thing that had gone according to plan. The worse that could happen was for her daughter to wake up and start fussing while they were making the last few steps towards their escape. Just the same, Gabby knew she would have to come up with some excuse to tell her when Min would finally wake up. She knew that her daughter's inevitable string of questions about what was going on would demand answers, which would only cause their situation to become more suspect.

Looking up at the clock once again, the mother noticed that it was now quarter after five. Fifteen more minutes and Captain Williams would be arriving. _"I wonder if I would be able to talk him into leaving earlier,"_ she thought anxiously. _"Yet, he did sound quite definite about the time, though."_ She knew how strict her uncle was regarding abiding by rules, especially those rules established by human society. Consequently, it was a given his employees would hold to the same standard. It was then that Gabriella realized the chance of convincing the pilot to leave before the appointed time was nil to none.

Finishing the rest of her coffee and quite frustrated, Gabby placed the now empty cup on the side table next to her as she sighed despondently.

Once they had sobered up from Raph's bit of light humor, he quickly commented, "Hawaii's definitely the diversion and, as you suggested Leo, I believe so is American Airlines." Raph flipped open the cell phone again and dialed up another number, waiting until the person on the other end picked up. Finally, after a moment, he made the connection. "Hey, is this Jen? Yeah, Raphael here. So…is she there?" After a few minutes of listening to the girl's response, Raph replied, "Thanks a mil. That'll help us so much. Yeah, just sit tight until we get there," and then he snapped the phone shut, ending the call.

"So, Raph," Mike asked, "what's the verdict?"

"Well, Jen said Gabby didn't expect a thing when she first arrived. She's going to go and tell her now that the captain will be detained for a while." He chuckled a little, obviously quite amused, "She didn't want to tell her right up front where it was more important to get her settled first. They even put a port-a-crib in the reception room. Smart girl! Gabby already has Min sleeping in it, in fact. Amazing that granddaughter of mine hasn't woken up spouting a million questions about why she's not at home. It's not like she goes off property very much. Anyway, I'm glad we were able to get a hold of Williams before he made it to the airport. Certainly saved that man an unnecessary trip."

Leo was quiet for a moment and then he shook his head, as if it finally dawned on him, "I'll bet she drugged Min, as well; would have to, if she wanted to keep her quiet this long."

Seth bristled at his father's comments and then seethed under his breath, "Gonna let my wife have it with both barrels, just as soon as we catch up to her!" He noticed his father give him a backwards glance and a nod in agreement.

Then, Leo commented ruefully, "If Gabby has any idea at all what the attendant is up to she'll start running again!" He remembered well what Don had told him about her first day at Mike's when she had tried to runaway. His brother had found Gabby to be quite adept at eluding her pursuers where he and Mike spent nearly the entire morning and most of the afternoon in the forest looking for her. Though Don and Mike both agreed to never tell her about the real story, Leo knew from talking with him that they had found Gabby just moments before the cougar had. _"The last thing that girl needs to know is that we almost lost her – in more ways than one!"_ he lamented at the time.

Now, Leo was in pursuit of Gabby himself. Only, this time she had the whole city of San Jose to hide in rather than one small forest. "I just hope that receptionist can lie well. Any possible way you can drive faster, Mike?" he asked from the backseat.

"Not unless you want to sit there while I get a ticket written on my behalf!" Mike shot back irritably. "With all this traffic, we're somewhat restricted anyway."

"Point taken." Leo understood his brother's own frustrations with the girl and so dropped the matter.

Looking back at his brother from the rear-view mirror, Mike commented, "Hey, we'll make it, Leo - 'kay? If it weren't for rush hour, we'd be there by now!" He chaffed, knowing that if she had bolted on the weekend, they would have already had Gabby in their possession. Reading the time on the dashboard clock, Mike recalled Jen telling him that Gabby had already arrived. It was now five-fifteen. It would only be a little while longer, now, and he was confident that they would soon have his niece and Mindy in custody.

Rama watched the scenery for a while as it whipped by. It was certainly different than New York, more suburban and newer, which seemed strange to her. She was used to the more sophisticated look that Manhattan offered as well as the classic style of the brown stone apartments and clapboard houses Brooklyn was known for. Then, she began to notice the increase in traffic along the freeway. She was amazed with all the cars and then exclaimed, "Wow, and I thought New York was bad!"

"Traffic's not nearly as bad on weekends." Devon replied. He looked at the clock on the dashboard and saw that it was now almost five-thirty. They would be at the airport in only a few minutes. Hopefully, Gabby would still be there_. "Sis, what's gotten into you, girl!"_ he seethed under his breath.

Rama turned and slipped her hand into Devon's, giving it a gentle squeeze. She rather liked this caring side of Devon. It was very similar to Raph really, where he would grumble just as much under his breath. Still, deep in side her cantankerous uncle was a caring nature. For Devon, though, she wanted to offer some words of encouragement, that everything would turn out all right. Just the same, Rama knew that it was too early to know for sure how this would all end. Consequently, she decided that some quiet support was far better than giving Devon some idle words of comfort.

****

As each minute ticked by, the more anxious Gabriella became. As she thought about the series of events that started with the cab driver, she wondered if Seth or someone from the family had tipped the pilot off. When the clock slipped to twenty after the hour, she wondered if Captain Williams was told to not even come at all. The more Gabby thought about it, the more she realized that Leo would probably assume what she was planning on doing. Hawaii or Connecticut, she knew that he believed she would never get on a commercial flight, not with the way she was escorted while out in public.

She always had Seth or someone chaperone her whenever she would go into town. Between motherhood and being pregnant, ninja training had been minimal at best – which suited her just fine. The whole ordeal of learning something under the guidance from those who had done it their entire lives was intimidating. Though she did possess innate talent in the 'arts, she did not have the kind of perspective necessary to own it. Needless to say, she never felt it important to learn where others were better skilled and more than willing to take her where she wanted to go. She was just too used to being paired up with someone. Maybe she _was_ skittish about going solo in public, but she still believed that people accepted them. Because of that, she felt it made it unnecessary for her to learn the arts and so went her attitude about Mindy's training. At least, that was how she felt. Therefore, she was desperate enough to do anything, if it meant protecting her daughter from such a life. _"Now I understand what they say about never getting between a mother and her child!"_ she lamented sourly to herself. Cooing to her sleeping daughter, Gabby whispered, _"Sweetie,_ _I'd do anything at all to protect you."_

She then looked out through the glass wall once again. It was in that moment when she noticed the attendant over at the reception desk talking on the phone. At first, Gabby just watched, not really paying that much attention. However, the girl seemed to be doing more talking than listening where she occasionally looked over at the room where Gabby was staying. Something about the way Jen acted told Gabriella that she needed to start making some desperate decisions.

When the girl hung up the phone and began to walk towards the reception cubicle, Gabby held her breath. As Jen came into the room, she apologized, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Angelo, but Captain Williams just called and said he'll be a bit late. He won't be able to get here until closer to six. Seems he couldn't get away as quickly as he wanted and, to make matters worse, there's been a bad accident on the Eight-eighty Freeway. It's going to be a while before he can get through it. Can I get you anything in the meantime? More coffee perhaps?" The girl smiled brightly as she waited for Gabby to respond.

There was just something about Jen's smile and the way she clipped her words that caused Gabby to become nervous. She looked hard at the hostess and saw just a flicker of forced deception in her eyes, as if they were in conflict with the grin on her face. She replied softly, "No, no that's fine. I'll – wait. Thank you." The girl smiled and left, leaving Gabby alone with her thoughts once more.

_"I need to get away. Fast. I know that girl was not telling the truth. If I stay here, Seth or Leo will come waltzing in and then I'll be trapped," _she lamented. She looked around and confirmed that indeed she would be trapped where the glass door was her only exit. _"Some ninja Don is, allowing only one way in and out. You'd think he'd at least have another door of escape!" _Then, again, this was his terminal, she said to herself, so it was probably loaded with detectors and high tech security measures. Looking down at her daughter, Gabby fought back the urge to cry as her situation became more desperate_. "Where can I go, now?" __She practically wailed to herself._

Seth was quiet for a few minutes. However, hearing Raph mention that the attendant was going to inform Gabby of the pilot's delay, he knew that his wife would have figured things out by that time. He thought for a moment as the others discussed the situation. As Mike guided the car down the freeway and towards their exit, Seth suddenly declared, "Mike, call Jen back and see if she can activate the security lock on that lounge. I have this feeling that Gabs won't sit still for too long; not if she suspects we're coming." Mike quickly flipped his cell phone opened and punched in the number. It rang a couple times before someone answered it.

As Mike relayed the new orders, Rama askedas she innocently looked at Seth "Why would she even think that? As far as she's concerned, you're still in bed, drugged and sleeping the night away?"

"You don't know my wife. She's smartand she also has a natural talent for reading people." Seth replied as he glanced towards Rama. "I called her on her cell as soon as I realized she was missing. If she checks her messages, she'll know what time that was. She's no dummy; Gab knows how long it takes to get to San Jose."

Devon added as he concurred with his brother, "The fact that we had the cabby drive all over the place and then try and stall would be just enough to tip her off. I don't know if she's aware that jets can't take off before six-thirty, but if she is, I agree with Seth, Gabs will start to panic and maybe flee again. Where she's already in the lounge might mean she doesn't know about the restrictions or, is thinking she can convince Williams to go against regulations."

"Would he do that; break the rules and all?" Rama asked. Devon laughed a little at her question.She gave him a sour glare for his outburst "What's the laugh for? It is possible after all. Some people will break rules you know." She glanced at Raph thinking about her real uncle's two types of trouble rule, and wondering if his counterpart here practiced such a thing. "What is that old saying about the one rule for the rich and another for the poor?" Rama knew well enough about the truth of that matter. It seemed that those who were big name celebrities or politicians could do what they wanted and hardly have to suffer for their crime. If a street person or some desperate worker, who was trying to make ends meet, pulled such a thing they would have the book thrown at them rather than being given a mere slap on the wrist in court.

"Not my uncle's employees!" Seth countered. "He's a stickler for following the rules; keeps us all above reproach as far as humans are concerned. Besides, we'll be there anyway before Gabs'll be expecting the pilot."

She considered for a moment what Seth had just shared with her. Obviously, by outwardly looking and acting like model citizens, they would not be expecting special privileges, even with their nature or successes. By that measure, people might not be as willing to dig up what the family did privately. It then dawned on Rama that this ninja clan probably hid more in the open than her own clan did. For her family, hiding among the public meant wearing disguises and keeping contact with humans to a minimum. However with Devon's, they had to interact more with humans and, as a result, were forced to hide their ninjitsu while doing so. It was a rather startling concept. Ramiela suddenly realized that even though her family had limitations, where they had to hide their identity, at least by doing so their traditions were safe from prying eyes. They didn't have to act above reproach for the sake of maintaining whatever acceptance they had; for they didn't have such worries. Whatever honor they practiced was clan sensitive only and not contingent on public approval. _"Freedom certainly has many definitions,"_ she thought ruefully.

Ramiela finally nodded in understanding as she commented, "Guess if you can enjoy the freedoms you do, playing by the rules is the best way to go."

Devon agreed, "Yep, which makes it all the more imperative for Min to be trained now rather than later."

She now understood more then ever before the reason why Leo felt he had no other choice where Mindy was concerned. Yet, Ramiela made a mental note to talk to Devon about the two types of trouble anyway as she was certain he would appreciate that sort of philosophy. She smirked as she thought to herself_, "And dad always told me how Uncle Raphael was such a bad influence. They should see the sort of affect his son in this world has on me."_ Rama reconsidered that thought for a moment, only to discern, _"Then again, I don't think dad would want to know. Why give him a heart attack before his time."_

As the SUV exited the 101 Freeway for the airport and as Mike finished his call, the clock on the dashboard moved to five-thirty. Now, the energy levels in the car rose considerably. Both Seth and Leo could sense Gabby from where they were and her growing panic; making it obvious that something was starting to happen at the terminal. It went without saying that everyone was hoping they would make it in time before the girl fled to who-knows-where.

As Gabby looked up at the clock again, she saw that it was almost five-thirty. She wondered if the captain was going to even make it. With everything that was happening to upend her plans, she doubted he was coming at all. It then dawned on her that even if her family believed that she was flying commercial, they would have had the foresight to contact the pilot just in case. She had only thirty minutes to see if he would show, yet by how she was feeling, her family might already have arrived. If the attendant gave her one more excuse, Gabby decided she would leave immediately. She nervously tapped her foot against the carpeted floor, wrapping her arms around herself as the tension mounted.

With her stress levels now at an all time high, she glanced nervously through the glass wall again. As usual, Jen was at her post as the hostess stood by the hospitality counter. Yet, she wasn't as relaxed as she had been earlier; she seemed to be waiting, as if anticipating something. Then, Gabby heard the phone ring at the desk. She watched while the girl quickly answered it, uttering her customary greeting as she smiled a little. She seemed to be listening to the person on the other end. However, in no time flat it appeared as if she went all business.

As the attendant looked up in the direction of the lounge, Gabby knew the time to leave was right then. The more she thought about the lounge, the more it began to dawn on her. Because of her uncle's obsession with security, the glass was probably shatter proof. That would also mean that it was bullet proof, which also meant that there must be some way of securing the room as a whole! Consequently, her current feeling to be out of the room grew to enormous strength, causing Gabby to give way to panic. Not knowing where she would go if she left, she grabbed up her daughter from the crib. As quickly as she could, she slipped the still-sleeping child into the stroller. Then, looking back once more to see what the girl was doing, Gabby noticed that Jen had just hung up the phone.

As they locked eyes, the look of determination on the attendant's face told Gabby all she needed to know. However, the girl's resolution turned to confusion as her hand blindly and frantically searched for something under the desk. It quickly became apparent that whatever switch Jen was trying to activate under the counter either wasn't cooperating or she couldn't find it. She fumbled frantically, finally getting on her hands and knees in obvious desperation to visually locate the errant switch. She swore just a bit as she did, realizing that she was losing precious time.

Seeing her chance, Gabby quickly pulled the stroller backwards towards the door, shoving it open as hard as she could. Just as the door swung wide, she heard a sizzling sound as if an electric lock was being activated. Gabby knew by then that she had made it just before she would have been imprisoned inside the room. Breathing a momentary sigh of relief, she maneuvered the stroller around carefully, pushing it in front of her and towards the entrance to the terminal.

Jen tried to head her off as she stepped in front of the fleeing mutant. However, using what little ninjitsu she knew and despite her advanced pregnancy, Gabby abruptly maneuvered the stroller beyond the girl's reach. In the next moment, she executed a clean three-sixty turn and easily tripped the young woman with one swift motion of her right foot. She apologized quickly, "I'm so sorry, but I can't stay!"

It was obvious the girl didn't see it coming, for she fell unceremoniously to the carpeted floor of the terminal. Then, alerted to the situation by the commotion, the security officer tried to stop Gabby. As with the attendant, she managed to slip out of his reach as well before awarding him the same courtesy as she had given Jen. The man hit the ground with a solid thud, causing Gabriella to grimace. She knew he had landed quite hard, if the sound of air expelling from his lungs was any indication. She groaned a little from her own exertion and quickly apologized a second time. Then, she swiftly headed out towards the front of the building.

As she pushed the stroller before her, Gabby frantically tried to decide how she was going to get out of the terminal without running into more of Don's people. It would be a miracle if she made it, given the fact that many of his hires were trained in the arts. Her only saving grace was that not everyone had been called in that morning. She was just fortunate that the two whom she dispatched moments ago were unequipped. Nevertheless, it was a good possibility that there would be at least one more employee already working at that hour who would be trained. As her panic took over, she realized that just incapacitating the other two had taxed her considerably. Gabby knew there wasn't any way she could take on trained personnel. Nearly cryingin frustration, she moaned, _"I just hope they see that I'm pregnant and let me go – otherwise...I'm caught for sure."_

However, in that moment and with her senses at their strongest, she felt a familiar touch on her mind. "Seth!" He was already there at the airport! Quickly, Gabby mentally shut down, knowing that he had sensed her, too. Of the few skills she had kept from her brief amount of ninjitsu training, mental communication was one of them. Aside from the convenience of not having to yell to grab her husband's attention, it also allowed a bit of privacy between them for more intimate times. However, right now, she didn't need to have him plead with her to give up, because just before she had shut down, she had also sensed Leo and the others!

Looking back towards Terminal A, she wondered how close they really were. Snapping her head around and looking in the opposite direction she immediately saw another bus. Yet, it swiftly passed her by, only to stop at the next terminal just beyond Don's. Realizing that it was now her only way out of the airport, she quickened her pace towards it. As she pushed the stroller ahead of her, Gabby could only hope and pray that she would make it before the bus took off. The last thing she wanted to be was left behind to face whatever consequences Seth and Leo would impose upon her.

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Gemdrive2000_**_: Ah mixed feelings and emotions. Wanting to see what is best for everyone while seeing the advantages of both sides of a given issue, is truly a wonderful trait. When all is said and done in this episode, I can only hope that you agree with the out come. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: This chapter and a few others around it gave Reinbeauchaser a few headaches that I am aware of involving the time line so that it seemed to come together nicely is a big pat on the back for her. I like it too but with all she put into it she really deserves a great portion of the thanks for her hard work and efforts. Mindy is luckily out of it for the moment but might wake up at any time. Hard to say how long the tea will keep her out. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Yes, please do breathe it is good for you. Last thing Ineed is for your hubby to come home and find you sprawled unconcious on the floor due to not breathing while reading our fanfic. Who trains Mindy will all depend on if they catch up to Gabby to get Mindy into training. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: I know you like Leo but this isn't really a Leo story. He is a strong supporting character. Look at poor Don hardly in here at all. I'd hate to lose you or any of our other readers but can't promise anything as we must stay true to our vision of the story. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TBreader_**_: Okay here is the next update hope that was fast enough for you. Hope you do enjoy YD, I know I did. Yes that is what the world is coming to but there is some stuff that must come inevitably before hand. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: So many points and yet, panic does strange things to people. There are many sides to this issue and somewhere, someone is going to have to meet part way. Will it be Gabby or Leo? Leo or Gabby? Dun dun dun...which one? Only the next few chapters will tell, so stay tuned! Thanks for your thoughts, for reading, and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Ah, the stuff of nightmares – putting a clock in any chapter or story. It's till haunting me – 'did I forget a point, do I have the time fractions right? Will this add up in the end?' Yep, and I'm still going over it to make sure it's correct. GAH…take it from me; NEVER put a clock in your stories, unless it's one Raph pounds to oblivion. LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: I've been there, reading a story where I forget to breath. GASP! Glad we delivered cuz that's what we were aiming for. Hmm…catch her? Not without a fight they won't! Bwahahaha! As for who will train Mindy? Keep reading. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH HART_**_: Well, this story is about Rama with a side helping of Gabby. Leo has an integral part, obviously, but the focus of the story is not on him. We don't have any intention of 'taking' Leo out of RR because where he's a TMNT; he's already a part of the story. Goes without saying. I don't know what gave you the impression that we were 'taking' him out. Hmm… As for what he thinks of Gabby? He loves her as his own daughter, keep that in mind. Hate is not part of his vocabulary. Remember, he was mentored by Splinter and Splinter could not hate – except for Shredder. Gabby is reacting to PTSD so her actions are reactions and only that. Have pity on the poor girl! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Yeah, well, on average – about twice a week. As time permits, Thursdays and Sundays. As for where you are on YD, based on the review you gave, chapter 3 should be the next one. I'm impressed that you're reading that monster! LOL I'd love to rewrite it, if only to bring it up to my current writing style, but I've decided to let it go. That is, until I get most of my unfinished 'manuscripts' done! LOL Including this one. Yes, second coming for sure. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	44. Wild Goose Chase

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_YES! Finally, we can claim we own – just our OC's; always have and always will. Other than that, everyone else is owned by whomever – and we're pretty sure by this point it goes without saying who 'whomever' is. :0)_

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**CHAPTER 44 – Wild Goose Chase**

As Mike drove the SUV north along Airport Road, Seth looked out towards the passenger window to his left. Rama was situated between him and Devon, who sat behind Mike and next to the door. Seth noticed that, from her vantage point, Rama was looking out the same window. She seemed transfixed, though, as she observed the night time scenery. He could still sense a bit of trepidation in the young kunoichi, yet he had to admire the girl's resolve to participate in this venture. Fortunately, her anxiety level was not as bad it had been when she was in route to Carmel. He also noticed that Rama had calmed down considerably since emerging from her nearly two days in the dojo. It was obvious that her time with solitary meditation had done what it was supposed to do.

Seth was then drawn back to the passing scenery. He noted the familiar span of terminals across the way on the other side of the parking lot. An ever increasing number of buses and cars were dropping their passengers off, creating a frenzy of people as they hurried towards check-in. Considering the mounting population of humans, Seth was confident that his Gabby would never venture solo among them. He knew his wife far too well. Despite his anger towards her, however, he had to chuckle to himself with her clever use of the cabby and the misinformation she had given to him.

_"Try as you may to hate ninjitsu, my dear, so far you've used it to your advantage quite well,"_ Seth mused to himself as he considered Gabby's actions so far.

Still, he couldn't help but sigh impatiently. He knew that it wouldn't be too much longer before reaching Don's terminal, yet he was anxious for this chase to end. Just the same, a feeling of apprehension began to invade Seth's inner being, a feeling that was all too familiar with him.

Focusing his mind on this unsettling feeling, thoughts of his wayward wife came to him. He suddenly snapped to attention. In that moment, he had mentally made contact with Gabby, only to lose her just as quickly. He desperately tried to find purchase with her mind in his frantic attempt to call out to her. He could sense, as well, that his father had felt her presence, too, yet he had lost the connection at the same time as his son. It was perfectly obvious that Gabby had realized their close proximity to her and, as a result, mentally shut down. In that split second he had 'heard' his wife, he felt a strong surge of panic coming from her. Now, as Mike drove the car around the bend and followed the road as it began to straighten out alongside the terminals, Seth's need to get to his wife intensified. He peered out the front windshield as he mentally willed the car to go faster. Yet, as much as he wanted to be able to do that, there wasn't anything he could do but just sit there and wait until they arrived at their destination.

As Mike piloted the car in and out of traffic towards their goal, Seth growled irritably to himself. Although he rarely if ever postured himself with Gabby, this would be one time where he would, no doubt about it. At the very least he would make her fully accountable to the kind of harm she could be doing to their unborn child. All of this running around, the stress and what not couldn't be good for their baby. With its due date less than a month away, it was risky at best for Gabby to be out like she was. Therefore, Seth couldn't help but chaff inside over his wife's selfishness. Clearly, the girl had only her own needs in mind and not that of their toddler daughter, their unborn child, or the clan for that matter. He would certainly give her a word or two about how he felt once they caught up with her – and they would, too, even if he had to chase her all over the bay area!

As they pulled up to Don's terminal and stopped short, Raph leaped out of the car towards the front of the building. Before he had even made it to the door, however, the attendant came bustling out with the security guard hot on her heels.

"I'm so sorry; I couldn't find the switch for the security lock in time. She was out of the room before I could even activate it. Then, she just went nuts on us!" The girl explained frantically as she limped. She was practically near tears over losing Gabby, yet it was plain to see that she was worse for wear, as well. Aside from her limp, her suit was scuffed up and one leg of her nylons was ripped from when she had fallen. Shaking her head, she added, "I tried to stop her but she _tripped_ me!"

The guard remarked as he rubbed his right arm, "She sure is capable; never knew a young lady in her condition could move so fast. Even had me on the ground!" Clearly, the man was impressed.

Cursing silently, Raph asked, "Do you know which way she went and how much of a lead she has?"

"Yes," Jen replied, pointing further down the road, "She took the Airport Flyer only a few minutes ago from Terminal C. She left the stroller behind, though. I have it inside if you want it."

"No, we'll pick it up on our way back. The Airport Flyer, you said?" Raph asked.

"Yeah," the guard replied, "it follows Airport Rd back around and then ends up at the Santa Clara Caltrain Station a couple miles east."

"Does it make any stops along the way?" he asked.

The girl replied, "I think it makes one, right alongside a park."

"Do you have a bus schedule and route map?" Raph requested as he looked down towards the direction the bus had traveled. As he looked over the area, he was glad that it was still dark out. However, in just a few minutes, daylight would soon claim the night, providing them with some advantage in finding his daughter.

"Yeah, I'll be right back." The girl then ran as best she could back into the terminal, returning a moment later with the asked for paperwork. "Here, it has a map and everything." Pointing to her right, Jen indicated a wide circle, ending up in the opposite direction across from public parking, "The bus loops north around the terminal area and out the back and then turns south again towards the parking lots. The one bus that just left is going straight to the train depot, though, taking De La Cruz Blvd. There's at least one stop along the way, around Marsalli Park. At least, that's what the map indicates."

Offering the girl a quick 'thank-you', Raph took up the schedule, raced back to the SUV, and hopped inside. He barely had the door shut when Mike had the car, its tires squealing in protest, roaring down Airport Blvd.

"So, do we know where she is?" Mike asked as he drove the car passed Terminal C.

"Just follow this road where it circles back towards the entrance to the airport and then keep going until it takes us towards the parking lots. We're going to follow a bus route 'cause that's what she's on right now."

"A BUS?" Seth spat out, "My Gabby on public transportation?" He shook his head, truly surprised that his wife would do something so bold.

"Guess she's desperate." Raph said dryly. Misunderstanding Seth's surprise, he then muttered to himself, _"That kid of Leo's is just too spoiled!" _Then, he commented as he read the map, "Gabby's on the Airport Flyer. It supposed to go straight to the Caltrain Depot down by Santa Clara College. According to the map, it has one stop before then, by some park named Larry J. Marsalli. Anyway, if there's an opportunity to beat the bus, we'd probably stand a good chance to intercept her.

Mike then commented as he chirped the words out, "LaFayette Park."

"What?" Raph asked, "Oh, so you can speak French, now?" he grinned and then Mike shook his head.

"No, no - the park used to be named LaFayette Park. They changed it a few years ago, though. It's – ah, shall we say, not the best area for Gabby to be walking through this early in the morning. There're a few bars nearby and at this time of day I'm sure there'll be drunks sleeping it off in the bushes. Best we do intercept her. Hard to say what kind of element's hangin' around!"

Seth groaned silently under his breath, not at all pleased with that prospect, or with losing his wife once again. _"Definitely giving her a piece of my mind!"_ He seethed angrily.

Gabby's breathing was finally slowing down again, but the baby inside of her was kicking up quite a fuss. She grimaced as it moved around. It was obviously not at all happy about being woken up. She then felt the skin tighten across her stomach, making her breathing hitch just a little bit. It subsided quickly enough, though, so she ignored it and chalked it up to nerves.

Her arm wrapped gently around Mindy, Gabby looked down at her still sleeping daughter. The child rested her head on what little lap her mother had left, her breathing soft and rhythmic. Gabriella hadn't wanted to carry her, but she had just enough time to grab Mindy up in her arms in order to get on the bus. Struggling with a stroller would have taken too much time. As it was, she was determined to board the transport before anyone at Don's terminal could witness her doing so. It was imperative that her family not now how she was able to get away.

Now, with her daughter still sound asleep, Gabriella was wondering if maybe the tea wasn't as diluted as she had tried to make it. That worried her a bit, but she was still confident she had measured it out correctly. If there was one thing she was good at and that was measuring out quantities. Given the kind of care she gave her father years ago, whenever he was sick, she had learned to be exact with such matters.

Still, all in all and considering how many things had gone wrong so far, she was at a loss how this morning would end. As the bus lumbered along, she considered just giving up. It was becoming quite obvious that she was slowly running out of options as to what to do or where she could go. Flying to England to see Serena was out; home was definitely out as was her mom's shop. Even if she did decide to do any of it, how would she even get there? Leaning against the side of the bus with her face pressed against the cool surface of the window, she stifled back a sob. Now she was scared. Before, while in Don's terminal, she was at least protected and safe within the familiar surroundings with people who knew them. That is until her suspicions were aroused and even more so when she sensed her husband's close proximity to her. Here on the bus, however, public transportation was putting her right in the middle of all that she had assumed to be true. There were only a few people on board, yet Gabby had felt their stares the moment she hurried up the steps to pay her fare.

Earlier, after slipping her change into the money receptacle and then taking a seat, she had been mindful of those who kept looking at her. Burrowing deeper into her coat, she had turned her back towards them and then sheltered her child away from their rude stares.

_"One would think they'd never seen a mutant before!" _she had grumbled under her breath.

Still, she figured that maybe she was only proof to some that she and her family really did exist. Between the scant news reports on Don's businesses and maybe Gabby's own shenanigans a few years earlier, her family was only a curious oddity. Just the same, she could care less what the curious thought, so she closed her eyes to calm her nerves once again.

The bus finally rolled south onto De La Cruz Blvd, joining the mass of cars as they hurtled along with rush hour traffic. A faint rose-colored glow began to edge along the tops of the distant mountains in the east, announcing the fast approach of morning. Soon, the sun's rays would be spilling over the peak, spreading its light across the San Jose basin. By this time, as Gabby peered through the bus's window, she could see more people in their cars out and about, probably on their way to work. She knew that with daylight fast approaching, the cover of darkness would be gone entirely and so would her anonymity. At least within the shadows of night, she had been shrouded from curious eyes. Slowly, she was beginning to understand just a little about what Seth had tried to tell her; what her father and even her mother had attempted to convince her of. Maybe, because she was so sheltered herself, she had pretended to believe that she was as normal as anyone else was. Within her family, that might have been true. Still, out among the general population, it didn't matter that she was half human. Gabby was still green, with red hair, and definitely a crossbred mutant reptile!

With Raph using the map to navigate, Mike followed his verbal directions through the airport and towards De La Cruz Blvd. After a few minutes, he merged his suburban into traffic and maneuvered southbound onto the main thoroughfare. He swore a little under his breath as he took stock of the mass of cars. It was quite obvious they were now in the middle of morning rush hour and he knew that it would only slow their progress. He wondered, then, that if they could spot it, would they be able to drive ahead of the bus and be at the first stop before it arrived. With the number of cars he was seeing on the road before him, it would take a miracle. Even so, if Gabby managed to disembark beforehand, they would only end up having to back track in order to pick up her trail once again. That would be a waste of time. So, he nixed the idea of racing the bus to its first stop and decided to just follow it, instead. That way, they would be in a better position to catch her if indeed she did get off early.

Sensing his frustration, however, Rama commented optimistically, "Well, the traffic might be slowing us a bit, Mike, but it'll slow the bus down as well."

Mike replied, "Yeah, you're right about th…" But then he grumbled from behind the wheel as a car suddenly changed lanes in front of him. When the vehicle slowed too much, Mike hit his brakes and then the horn in protest. Just as the guy in the offending car waved his one finger salute to him, the man caught the turtle's green image in his side mirror. In an instant, his hand whipped back inside the car, with said car returning to the lane it had just vacated. Mike cheered to himself and quickly sped up to take the open spot in front of him before someone else could. As he passed the other driver, he waved his thanks at the guy, who by now was gawking with wide, disbelieving eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, take a picture, it lasts longer." Mike groaned as he shook his head, returning to focus on the busy road before him. It was about then, though, that he noticed Raph had rolled the passenger window down. In the next moment, his brother was in a staring contest with the other driver. He was doing a rather admirable job of it too, because, before too long, the man made a frantic right turn just as soon as he could. Roaring down a side street as it took an alternate route to wherever it needed to be, the car soon disappeared, leaving Mike to continue along De La Cruz.

"Great, Raph, so glad to see that you've finally outgrown your need to intimidate." Mike chided. "Try not to scare the humans, 'kay? Keep in mind that some of us have a reputation to consider."

Raph only chuckled in reply as he closed the window, saying, "Hey, I do my best to promote mutants whenever and wherever I can, Mike! Not my fault that guy couldn't tell a grin from a growl."

Despite the seriousness of their situation, Rama couldn't help but laugh at the banter between the two up in front. For just a moment, it reminded her of home with the way her own father and her Uncle Raphael would go at it back and forth. Devon smirked as well, but then the weight of what they were doing returned once again. He sighed and hugged Rama even closer to him, saying, "I sure hope there's a quick end to this. Gab's in no condition to be running all over creation."

Rama nodded and in a very quiet reflective voice she remarked "Gabby is just running scared."

Though her tone was soft, Leo hadn't missed it and leaned forward, asking, "Come again, what was that you just said?"

"Gabby, she's running scared." Rama repeated and sounding very sure of herself.

"Meaning what?" Seth demanded as he glanced her way. He was still very ticked off at his wife, so he was quite resistant to any attempt to change his mood regarding her.

"I mean, now she doesn't have any real destination in mind where all of her avenues of escape have been blocked off. Her carefully made plans have crumbled, so now she's just running for the sake of running. Gabby doesn't want to be caught because – A – she knows she's in trouble and – B - she doesn't want Mindy trained. Since she doesn't have a clue what to do next, it's going to make it that much harder for us to figure out her next step." Rama explained.

Leo shook his head in disagreement, "I have a hard time believing she would go to this extent without having a back-up plan." He snorted in frustration. "She's not stupid."

Rama gave a wry grin "I'm not saying she is. However, even Shay had her escape planned out when she kidnapped me. She even clothed me so that I wouldn't draw any attention from humans. She did it when my dad and uncles were out on patrol, so that hopefully she would be long gone before they got back. Yet, when her plans began to fall apart, she panicked. She had to improvise from that point on, which is what tripped her up."

Leo nodded, suddenly understanding what Rama was saying. Obviously the girl was drawing on her own experience, thereby helping to give them an idea of what they might be in for with Gabby. In martial arts, Leo knew that it was important to know your opponent. He also knew that with Rama and her extra training, her concept of that understanding would be keener than most. It had been several years, after all, since any of them have had to seriously track someone. It wasn't that they had lost the ability; they were ninja after all. Still, Leo wondered if knowing your enemy would be useful if you knew what they were already planning. A rather redundant thought as he considered it. Yet, someone who was running scared and who had lost all hope would be much harder to track. They would be unpredictable and would probably do things outside of their normal behavior. He sighed once more as he stared out the window, wondering what his daughter-in-law was going to do next.

As Mike maneuvered through traffic, Seth looked at Raph. His uncle and father-in-law sat in the seat in front of him, idly watching the traffic as they moved along. He thought of making a comment to him about how Gabby inherited her father's stubborn streak. However, he decided to hold his tongue. Seth wasn't one to pick fights with Raphael and it was a given that the elder ninja was just as irritated about Gabby as any of them were. Although they had mended their fences years before, Raph still held a bit of resentment with the way Seth was conceived. His existence had been a burr in Raphael's side from day one. It was one of many reasons for the eventual break up between him and Rahab. Consequently, for Seth to pop off with any kind of a tart comment wouldn't be prudent. It would only earn him time in the dojo with the old ninja warrior.

Therefore, Seth kept his thoughts to himself.

Mike suddenly growled out as traffic along the boulevard became even tighter, "If Gabby had any common sense, she would have given up by now."

Rama shook her head and commented, "I don't think common sense has anything to do with it, Mike." She noticed Leo looking her way again, so she continued, "Gabby is more like an outsider to the clan, all because she hasn't grown up in it. What she knows about clan life is limited, where she only came into it a few years ago. It isn't always easy for an outsider to comprehend the training it requires to be ninja."

Mike agreed. "True, I recall Rahab had some problems adjusting but she never opposed our children learning the art, though," he countered in a huff.

"Yeah, but Rahab also lived through some battles and saw the necessity for training, whereas Gabby has only dealt with the one invasion." Leo admitted as he looked out his window. He thought that maybe they were all too spoiled with Rahab. She was always appreciative to have her life protected, so their way of life was easy for her to adjust to. Maybe they were expecting too much from Gabriella. He then grumbled a bit at the ever-increasing traffic, wondering how anyone could traverse these roads each day without losing their mind.

Rama nodded, "My aunt Jen didn't want her first child trained either. She wasn't worried about Abigail killing. More to the point, she was more afraid of losing her in battle."

Leo remarked, "It is, I suppose, a natural fear - considering how many battles _you_ still face, but doesn't your aunt have any confidence in the training her children are given?" he asked as he arched an eye ridge at Rama.

She replied, "Well, yes, but Aunt Jen was married one other time, before she knew Uncle Donatello. She had one child from that union, but she lost her daughter to SIDS. It was kind of hard, I guess, for her and her husband. In fact, they ended up getting a divorce because of it." Rama explained, "So, where she's already lost one child, I guess my aunt was afraid of losing another one."

Leo nodded in understanding and then returned to staring out his window, deep in thought.

Rama turned back around, remembering the discussion she had a few days earlier with Gabby. Because of that, she had an appreciation for why Seth's wife was still running. She was, for the moment, desperate. Desperate and reason didn't always go hand-in-hand. In fact, those who were extremely desperate often made bad choices. Rama sighed quietly. She knew that there was something else in all of this that she was going to have to try and work out later. With her own mother drugging her years ago in her attempt to escape the clan, Gabby's current situation was drumming up a lot of ugly memories for Ramiela. Where Leo believed Gabby had used the same tea on Mindy as she had on Seth, the girl was in a quandary how to take that. Yet, considering the way she herself had behaved in Cassie's shop only a few days earlier, Rama decided to wait before developing any kind of an opinion. Remembering the conversation with Gabby again, the kunoichi knew the foundation to the mother's fears. It was quite obvious she had panicked – and in a most awful and fearful way.

As the SUV traveled down De La Cruz Blvd, Seth suddenly exclaimed, "She's close by, I can sense her again. It's faint, though. Hey, wait, is that the bus?" Seth expectantly peered through the front windshield, his eyes locked onto an Airport Flyer ten cars ahead of them. However, he grimaced as morning light suddenly exploded over the mountains, filling the San Jose area with a blinding radiance. In that moment he lost the connection he thought he had with his wife. It was obvious she had relaxed just a little, but then realized her family's proximity and shut down once again. Looking at the clock, Seth noticed that it was just after six in the morning. He knew the streets would be filling up with even more cars as the morning progressed. The roadway was already crowded, making it confusing to zero in on just Gabby's mind alone. "Can any of you tell which bus she's on, now?" he finally asked in frustration.

"Yeah, up there…that white bus…er…well, the one that has that blue sign on the back." Raph replied, seeing that there were a lot of white buses now. He focused his ninjitsu sense on that one alone, though. Then, he quite clearly felt his daughter's presence, if not her mind then most certainly her conflicting emotions.

"Bingo, I sense her, too." Mike declared and then said irritably, "Well, looks like we caught up with the bus and now it's just a matter of trailing it until it stops. Then, we can catch our little run-away." He all ready felt the chase had gone on for far too long, as it was.

Raph snorted "Well, I hope we have better luck than we did at the airport, that's all I can say." He drummed his fingers impatiently along the top of the armrest. He was quite anxious to get Gabby and Min back home and away from the busyness of the city. Raph didn't like his daughter and granddaughter out among the humans, not where both were so ill equipped to protect themselves.

"About how far up would you say it is, Raph?" Leo asked from the backseat.

"Roughly two blocks," his brother replied. "The bus is going at a good clip, though, so unless we have clear sailing, it'll be…oops, forget that; guess we won't." Raph groaned as another bus zipped in front of them, obviously trying to keep on schedule. He looked around and realized that unless their luck improved, his daughter and granddaughter would get away once again

Gabby sighed, weary from the chase. She felt exhausted and worn out from being on edge. Knowing she was running without any real definite plan in mind, she was frightened. Now, she was just running for the sake of running, though her first goal was still to protect Mindy. What made it worse were the constant stares from the other passengers on the bus. Their fascination with her was raising numerous doubts and questions in her own mind.

For the most part, the clan was accepted here, but in other parts of the world it might not be that way. However, if people could act in this fashion who were more or less familiar with them, then what about elsewhere? Gabby began to feel even more uncomfortable when she noticed that one man in particular seemed overly interested in her. Tired and now irritated, she turned around and gave him a hard glare in reply. However, what she received in return was a stare that seemed to bore into her own. She didn't much care for the way he kept looking at her; it was almost as if he resented her being on the bus. So, rolling her eyes, she turned back around and tried her best to ignore him.

Muttering to herself, she complained, _"Perhaps this wasn't such a great idea after all." _While she knew it was fairly senseless to keep running when she had no idea where to go, she wasn't quite ready to give up, either.

Just the same, Gabby's unease increased with each passing second, as if she could feel her own family closing in on her. For a moment, she felt someone prying into her mind and thought it might be Seth. Yet, she was certain she had embarked onto the bus before anyone at Don's terminal saw her. Just the same, it was quite possible someone had seen her. Nevertheless, Gabriella focused and mentally shut down once again.

Nonetheless, the doubts that assaulted her seemed to be saying that all of her plans were now slipping out from her grasp. Other than the tea keeping her daughter sleeping, not one had been successful. Her failure kept taunting her as the prospects of getting away were becoming less likely by the second. Still, it was the stares from the other passengers which bothered Gabby the most, making her wonder what it was she was really getting herself into. Gently biting at her bottom lip, she pondered her options as she fought back her tears.

As a headache threatened to add to her woes, she massaged her left temple. What she really needed was a place where she could stop and get her thoughts in order. Gabby knew she couldn't do it on the bus, not with so many people who seemed interested in her. Consequently, with Mindy secure in her arms, she left her seat. Carefully, she made her way to the front of the bus as it rumbled along De La Cruz Blvd.

"Please, Sir, I need to get off this bus - right now" Gabby murmured to the driver.

"There isn't a scheduled stop for another quarter mile…" the bus driver replied dryly, obviously a veteran of such requests.

"Look, I am not feeling so good. If you wait for the next stop, fine. But by then you'll have a mess to clean up before you can go on your way again." Gabby declared tersely, "I don't think your other passengers will be too happy with you if that happens." She spoke loud enough, now, for those who sat closer to the front of the bus to hear. Some groaned a word or two in agreement, which only confirmed her assumptions. Just the same, between the constant stress of her night time escape and the baby's activity in her belly, for Gabby it really wasn't that far from the truth.

The bus driver finally gave in, giving a hard look at the pregnant mutant. Then, he muttered under his breath, "Fine I'll let you out here." The driver quickly maneuvered the vehicle over as soon as he could. In protest, the cars behind him honked their horns as he virtually halted the flow of traffic along the boulevard. He stopped right at the northeast edge of where De La Cruz turned into Lewis Rd, which ran snug alongside the south end of Marsalli Park.

Rama glanced at the sun and couldn't help but mutter, "I sure hope we do get to her soon." Where they had already lost the comfort of the night's shadows, the last thing they needed was for this chase to continue when more people were out and about. Despite the clan's assurance that she would be safe, Rama was still uncomfortable being so exposed during the day. Yet, from the time they had left Mike's estate, she had been giving herself a pep talk to just 'get over it'. She realized that if she was indeed going to try and adjust to this world and what it was used to seeing, Rama would have to forego her fear of being out in the open. Trying to catch up with Gabby had given her the perfect excuse, although the kunoichi still had to fight the urge to duck down and out of sight. Thankfully, her beloved held onto her, bolstering her resolve and giving her the courage she needed.

Seth scowled a bit and furrowed his brow. He watched Mike jockey the suburban in and out of traffic in their attempt to close in on the bus. As they began to make progress, however, the cars up ahead of them slowed once more and then everything came to a sudden stop. Mike swore a bit, since they were at least a dozen cars back from their target and too far a way to intercept it. With each lane packed tight, there wasn't any way for him to change lanes, either. As he looked out, he saw that the bus had halted alongside one end of a park, just passed a grouping of trees. Unfortunately, the foliage blocked any view along the side of the bus that faced the recreation area. Soon, everyone in the suburban could hear car horns give protest behind it, making it perfectly obvious what was responsible for the stop in traffic. Then, almost as quickly, the bus started up again and traffic picked up speed as well. Everyone was now moving along once more.

Gabby felt a bit more at ease, now that her feet were on solid ground. Still, she had that feeling that her family was close by. Consequently, she quickly ducked behind a tree. Looking over her general area, she discovered that she was now standing in front of a park. Looking back at the bus one last time as it continued on its course, she shivered a little. It wasn't that she was cold, but that now – more than before – she was truly out among the public. She noticed quite a few people who were walking along the sidewalk momentarily look her way. Yet, after a quick once-over, they then went about their business. Soon, she was virtually ignored as the population at large continued to trudge on towards their important destinations. She took a few calming breaths and then shifted Mindy's position a little in her arms. She then headed into the recreation area, taking a dirt path that led around a utility shack and disappeared from view. She hoped by going through the park, she would have the two of them away from prying eyes as quickly as possible. She was certain there would be benches and maybe even tables where she could sit down and rest. With any luck, the park would be empty of curious and rude stares as well.

As Mike finally caught up and maneuvered in behind the bus, he found that they had finally reached Marselli Park. At that point, De La Cruz Blvd became Lewis St with the road bending southwest a bit more. However, as they trailed behind the bus, Seth suddenly cocked his head a bit and then his breathing hitched. He turned back around to look out his window as his stepfather kept the SUV up to speed with the public transport. As the bus took a corner onto LaFayette St and headed north, Mike followed right along. They trailed the large vehicle as it straightened out to rumble on towards its first stop at the end of the block. In that moment, Seth declared, "I don't think Gabby is on the bus anymore."

"But there isn't a stop along that point." Mike insisted as he drove behind the bus.

Still, Leo concurred, "Doesn't matter because I don't sense her onboard now, either." He saw Raph nod in agreement and remembered how the bus had slowed down moments earlier, even coming to a full stop. Leo explained, "It wouldn't keep Gabby from convincing the driver to let her off, Mike. She probably forced him to stop during that last slow-down back on De La Cruz. You need to pull over, **now**!"

Mindy was starting to stir in Gabby's arms. It was apparent that she would soon be waking up. Then, her mother would have to answer the many questions the inquisitive child would inevitably ask. The baby in her belly was also protesting the increased activity as it kicked a little and squirmed around.

Suddenly, Gabby felt another twinge as it tightened across her swollen stomach, forcing her to slow her walk. She had to lean against a nearby tree for support while she waited out the contraction. She gasped just a little, but then, as it was with all the others, the discomfort quickly faded. She caught her breath once again and continued on up the path and further into the park.

She was discovering that her need for rest was outweighing her concerns for the moment. Thankfully, spying a bench on the west-side of a cluster of trees and bushes, she headed in that direction. With much relief, she noticed a restroom conveniently located near there as well. Much to her delight, the building shielded the concrete seating from the early morning sun, creating long shadows that offered her a bit of privacy. With the trees also offering shade, it was a convenience that was hard for her to pass up. She decided the location would make a good resting point. At least, if she had to, the lavatories were close by to be useful. She was certain that Mindy would have to go once she finally woke up. Besides, she wanted time to regroup her thoughts, to relax just a bit so she could decide what to do next.

As she came up to the bench, she rested herself wearily on the cement fixture and gently laid Mindy down next to her. Gabby pillowed her daughter's head in her lap and looked down at her. She smiled at how big her girl was getting, certainly not the baby she once was. She sighed, tired and spent, wishing she had at least attempted to hail a cab. Yet, the fear of being caught by her family had intensified the moment she had stepped off the bus. This created the need to flee and which pushed her further into the park as her desire for escape became stronger.

Now, she sat there within the comfort of the shadows and her back to the restroom. As she did, she considered returning to the street if only to wave down a cab. However, before she could do so, Gabby sensed some one draw near to her. Yet, by her position, with the trees and bushes behind her, she was unable to discern who or what it could be. Her body and mind tensed instinctively, but she was unable to figure out why. By her observation, the park was mostly empty. With most people heading to work or to the nearby college, it was puzzling why she would feel so alarmed. Where she was sitting, she could see that the park was fairly open. There were many large trees nearby, yet further out to her left and towards the west side she could see where two softball fields resided. A children's play area was situated closer to where she sat but more east, or to her right, where the bus had dropped her off. A few more structures, like the restroom behind her, were placed around the seven acre park, with more trees and bushes to offer shade.

As she observed their placement, however, she quickly realized that the trees and bushes would make excellent hiding areas. Why hadn't she noticed that fact before? Still, as she continued to look over her vicinity, common sense told her that it wasn't anything to worry about. After all, this was a very public park, surrounded by a busy thoroughfare within a well populated community. Perhaps it was nothing more than an early morning jogger or two who had slipped beyond her line of sight. It was quite obvious to her that she was just too much on edge, anyway, so she momentarily ignored her alarm.

Suddenly, Gabby winced and almost doubled over as yet another sharp pain shot across her belly. She gasped as she felt the skin and muscles tighten along the top of her stomach. A bit of panic set in right about then, as she considered what was actually beginning to happen. She then rubbed her abdomen in hopes that the pain would ease up. She closed her eyes and took in a couple of deep calming breaths. Gabriella prayed silently that it wasn't what she feared it to be.

Yet, before she could even give it any more thought, a drunken voice that was low and menacing came up from behind her and to her right.

"Well, well, well – lookee wha' we have here."

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Katie_**_: have you tried checking the R section? We did change the rating of the story with the bedroom scene between Rama and Devon. So you now can find our story listed in with the other R stories. Glad to hear you will continue to read, because we do continue to write but we are nearing the end, to which both of us breath a bit of a sigh of relief. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: Gabby doesn't fully understand ninjitsu so it is easy for her to 'warp' what she knows into something different. If you ended up in a strange culture and saw them doing something different from what you were used to, you might portray it the wrong way. For instance many people believe that burping is a form of complimenting the cook, while we might consider it rude and feel insulted by it. As for Leo throwing the book at Gabby he didn't get to be leader without some compassion in him. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: One of Gabby's inherited ninja traits is the ability to read people. Though Splinter was dead when Gabby came into the turtle family, you must have mixed Gabby up with Rama. The joys of writing is being able to place characters into places where they are between rocks and hard places. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TBreader_**_: Everyone is looking forward to the confrontration with Gabby in this story. Wow! You definitley sound up about going away. I wish you the best of luck no matter where you are sent, but with God at your side do you need it? Ah, perhaps prayers are better. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ Drugging Mindy or Seth for that matter, is not a good thing but it helps make Gabby's escape a great deal easier. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

****

**_KATIE_**_: I E-mailed my response to why RR is not on the G-PG13 list. Thanks for reading our story; Ramica and I appreciate that a lot. As for continuing to write, we will; as for your continued reading, we hope so! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH HART_**_: Your welcome! Ah as far as Gabby being wrong, I think it's more how she sees things. Perspective is in the eye or mind of the beholder. After visiting the Philippines this past summer, I discovered many interesting differences. For example, you know that hand motion to get someone to come over to you, holding your hand up with fingers towards the sky, and then pulling back towards yourself to beckon someone to 'come here'? Well, in the Philippines, that's considered an insult – it's like asking a dog to come here. So, you point your hand down, fingers towards the ground, and then pull back as if you were trying to pull a boat or canoe through the water. That's the proper Filipino way to motion 'come here'. :0) Lots of other neat differences, but I'll just end this with a 'thank you' for reading and reviewing our story!_

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: No, in this story, Splinter died about a decade before. Read 'Gaele', by Wendy Peabody. Somewhere near the beginning few chapters. What followed that event sort of showed Mike's temper, too. I love reading that part, truly a classic response from a 'dad'! :0) Yeah, Seth is in a quandary. Ah, messing with our characters' lives is what makes writing so much fun. So glad they're fiction. Bwahahaha! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Great that you have your papers. I'm sure that wherever you are sent, nothing but good things will happen. Well, there is still much to happen before Leo confronts Gabby. Much more, in fact. Hmm… Yeah, it's great being in the know, it really is. LOL Where you are reading YD right now, you've finally understood why I have such a soft spot for Gabby. I just love her – temper tantrums and all of that included. Easy to love a character like that than your own kid who's like that, though. Believe me! LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Yeah, it was a desperate decision, but considering how chatty Mindy is, Gabby had to do it. Otherwise, she would never have escaped Mike's place. Raph, at least, would have heard her where he's sleeping in the den that faces the front of the house. I'm still amazed Gabby was able to past him and I wrote the thing! LOL Ah, as far as NY is concerned, it'll have to be taken under advisement. More on that later, since you amazingly touched on an idea I had for something else. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	45. Caught Before The Act

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Ah, yes, another update. Had to do this one early where Fan Fiction is halting all updates from Sunday through Tuesday. So, ah, goes without saying we don't' own noth'n, other than our own OC's and the chair we're sitting in. Hope this chapter brings to conclusion some angst and brings back those readers who just couldn't stand Gabby's rebellion! :0) Yeah, well, read YD and you'll understand this is not out of character for her. She just needed a good excuse to go Raphers on the family and this was, after all, an exploratory story about Rama living in Gabby's world. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**Chapter 45 – Caught Before the Act!**

In panic, Gabby suddenly snapped her head around. Right away she saw four grubby looking youths coming around the trees, as if they had just came out of the public restrooms from behind her. They looked hungrily at her and Mindy, their eyes raking over Gabby in an unsettling fashion. It reminded her all too well of Jason. The way he had looked at her that day he and his fiancé had joined the family at the beach was the way these four youths were. It was the look of someone who was starving for something other than food, who was suddenly placed before a feast without any restraints. It was perfectly obvious not only how they acted but what Gabby sensed from them that they were willing to make the most of her before the park became too busy. As Gabby looked frantically around, she noticed that she was shielded by the restroom from the traffic-laden street behind her. The trees and bushes along that side of the park aided that effort as well. It was designed that way to allow those seeking solitude from the hustle and bustle of the street to find it. Now, she wanted the busyness rather than the peace she had sought.

As she quickly looked over the area, she noticed that the park was over a hundred yards wide. The street that ran along that side was even further away. Yet, despite her hope that someone might see what was happening, Gabby realized that it was too far for anyone there to notice her predicament. Given the amount of noise the heavily traveled street created with all the cars and buses, she wouldn't even be heard if she screamed. Where she was already deep within the early morning shadows, she was virtually hidden from any casual observers.

Basically, Gabby was in trouble.

She tried to suppress a shudder as she frantically took in their appearance. They seemed odd to her, as if they didn't quite know how to walk properly. The closer they came to her, however, the more she could make out the stench of alcohol; the odors alone made her stomach do flip flops. She realized then that they must have been in the restroom drinking before coming out and discovering her. Because she had been distracted with her possible contractions, they had managed to sneak up on her unaware until now. Now, Gabby berated herself for not being more observant. She realized that had she taken her initial feelings more seriously, she could have been more forewarned. As it was, she hadn't.

Just the same, she swallowed her fear as she forcibly exclaimed, "Leave us alone," as she pulled Mindy closer to her. She felt her daughter stir even more with the jostling. Gabriella prayed the child would remain asleep for just a while longer.

As the four youths stalked her like a pack of wolves, one of them chuckled; his stringy black hair dangling in his face, "Oh, we will, shweets, after you give ush what we want," he slurred. He was just a bit unsteady on his feet as he swaggered closer to her. His cronies did likewise, all with varying degrees of drunkenness.

Gabby knew she could fight well enough to disable one or maybe even two of them, with their inebriated condition. Yet, with the way she was feeling, the way the pain was starting to increase, she really didn't know if she could manage any for the moment. Suddenly she realized the truth why she always had an escort whenever she went out in public. Like a sudden epiphany, it dawned on her that she really didn't know enough ninjitsu to keep herself safe. It was that reason alone which said she had to be protected by those who could. In essence and by all accounts, she was weak. Now, her weakness would not only be her down fall but her daughter's, too. The situation that she was running away from was the very thing that could have saved her life and her daughter's innocence. In sudden realization, Gabby cried to herself, _"My God, what have I done?"_

In that moment, she hoped that her family was in deed as close by as she had sensed earlier. She then mentally screamed out for her husband, suddenly wanting Seth nearby no matter how mad he might be at her.

Once Mike had the SUV into the off street parking area, he took the first available slot. Everyone then piled out of the car as quickly as they could, re-grouping momentarily in front of the vehicle. "Mike, Leo, and I will take the north side," Raph began, "Then, Seth, Dev and Rama, you three check the south end where Gabby might have gotten off the bus. If we don't find her, we'll meet in the middle and decide what to do next."

While the park was only seven acres in size, it was a large enough area that by splitting into two groups, they would be able to cover ground more efficiently. Bordering each side of the park and working their way up to where De La Cruz Blvd. merged with Lewis St, it was certain they would find her if she was still in the vicinity. Mike and Raph, with Leo leading the way, quickly took off towards the north, while the younger clan members swiftly headed along the southern edge of the park. Seth was certain, now, that when the bus had stopped right after coming up to the recreation area, it was then that his wife had disembarked. He watched for a second as his father and uncles jogged around the fencing and in-between the two baseball fields as they made for the north side. He could only hope that he found his wife first before his father did. What he sensed from his father told him that Gabby would be hauled before the tribunal without mercy. More than likely, Leo would probably implement a stronger rebuttal to her blatant disobedience. Seth hoped that by getting to Gabby first, he might have a chance to convince her to apologize. He knew his father well and he knew that Leo was fair and preferred a change of heart over flexing his jonin influence. Therefore, Seth was determined to find his wife before the others had a chance to.

Then, he, Devon and Gabby headed towards the opposite end of the park along the south side, all three moving at a good clip. They kept their eyes and their senses sharp. Yet, before they had even passed the athletic area, Seth heard Gabby's mental call. He knew instantly that she was in trouble and, in spite of all his training and knowledge of ninjitsu; he couldn't help but feel a sudden stab of panic. It was quite obvious that Gabby, or even Mindy, might be in eminent danger.

He yelled at the others "Come on, I think I know where she is and she needs us fast!" Seth knew it was possible that Gabby might have gone into premature labor. With all the stress she had put her self under, it wouldn't have surprised him. It was the most he could hope for. Because if her panicked plea was about something else entirely, he had to move more than fast, he and the others would have to go ninja! Out in public like they were, it wouldn't have been prudent, yet he would not under any condition allow harm to come to his family. In that moment, he sent a mental call to his father to let him know where they were heading. Now it was more important to find her than to find her first, if what he was sensing from his wife was an indication of her situation.

Rama and Devon followed Seth's lead, both knowing that he would be more in tune as far as where Gabby was than they would be. They raced onward through the park where Lewis Rd ran alongside. They ignored the curious stares from pedestrians and various drivers. Some drivers honked their horns as if acknowledging them, while other people pointed in their direction. Yet, none of it mattered to the three mutants as they rushed onwards to wherever Gabby was.

Considering the pain that she was in, Gabby sat up defiantly as best she could. Momentarily, she found herself in between contractions, so she glanced frantically at Mindy. Her daughter's head was still pillowed in her lap, yet Gabby knew that even if she were able to stand up to try and fight them, one of the punks might grab Mindy and hurt her, or – worse - hold her hostage. Gabriella hated feeling so defenseless and then, she felt another twinge rake across her belly.

Hoping to appeal to their decency, she pleaded, "Look, please, just go away – can't you see I'm pregnant."

Nevertheless, with a crude sneer and a snicker, the leader laughed, "Don't matter to ush, babe. Jush means you can't get any more preg'ant than ya are! Don't worry, sho long ash'yer nice to ush, we'll be real nice to your li'l girl."

The leader, with his scruffy looking condition and his short cut of hair, reeked of alcohol like his friends did. It was quite obvious to Gabriella that being 'nice to her little girl' did not have the same meaning to them as it would to her. She felt her heart start to pound wildly against her chest as she considered the reality of what they were going to do with her and to Mindy.

Before she could react, though, two of the drunken youths rushed her. One grabbed her up off the bench and clapped his hand over her mouth to muffle any screams she would try to make. The other hoodlum took Mindy. By this time, the child was beginning to wake up, but the young man didn't realize it. The moment Mindy understood that a complete stranger had her in his arms she let out a blood-curdling scream. Immediately, a hand wrapped around her mouth to quell any more outbursts, causing the child to cry in panic.

Quickly, Gabby's captor and the others began to take the child and her back to where the restrooms were. Yet, despite her contractions, Gabby struggled against them valiantly. She fought as best she could, but the impending birth of her child kept her from doing much damage. She then suddenly slumped to the ground, trying to use her full weight to drag down their efforts. Unfortunately, between the one who had her and the other two punks, they managed to pick her up and make for the building with her daughter held firmly by the remaining youth.

All six ninja heard Mindy's cry at the same time. They zeroed in on her location with a combined thought and made haste to interrupt whatever nefarious deed was at hand. Seth could sense Gabby's struggles through the fear and panic she was giving off; clearly she was in dire straights. How he wished he had taken a weapon of some sort with him, something as simple as a shuriken or even a single nunchukus. At least with that, it would have given him a psychological edge. Yet, a weapon was the last thing he thought he would need this day.

Coming together in front of the stone bench, they all heard a scuffle around behind the bushes where the bathrooms were located. Seth never slowed down as he whipped around the foliage and towards the public lavatories. The other members of his clan followed suit in close formation behind him. As they came around the blind to the men's restroom, Seth heard someone from inside swear, "Sh, this girl's got teeth!"

Not wasting precious time, all six ninja barreled through the opened doorway, one right after the other. In a split second complete pandemonium erupted, but not before Gabby and Mindy were ushered outside and away from the melee. While Leo held onto Mindy in his arms with Mike following, Seth carried his wife back out to the bench and gently laid her down on top of it.

She was sobbing by this time and in a great deal of pain. She held on to him in desperation, repeatedly apologizing to him over and over again, "Oh, Seth, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I was wrong, please forgive me." Yet, instead of being angry with her, all he could do was to hold her and comfort her, where she was so contrite and repentant.

It was then that Mike flipped his cell phone opened as he declared, "Sorry, need to call this in, Leo, otherwise my rep is trashed." He saw the way Gabby was wreathing on the bench and the way her face would contort in pain. He then added, "Maybe I'll add an ambulance to that order, too."

Leo comforted his granddaughter as she clung to him in abject fear. She cried off and on as he stroked her back, offering her soothing words of comfort. Yet, all the while, his eyes were hard on his daughter-in-law. He knew now that she had drugged her daughter, if Mindy's pupils were any indication. He looked at Mindy again and hugged her, grateful that they had found her and her mother before any harm had come to them. Returning his gaze to Gabby once again, he watched as Seth tried to find out if she had been injured. However, ever so slowly it began to dawn on both of them that Gabby was in full blown labor. This fact was made more apparent when her water broke right then and there.

"Dad, Gab's gone into labor, we need to get her to a hospital." Seth declared in near panic. He stared wide-eyed at his wife, now, hoping that she hadn't harmed their yet unborn child by her foolish behavior. He sensed her remorseful emotions and knew she was just now realizing what had almost happened. Still, he couldn't dislodge all of his anger towards her. Leaning in to her and cupping her face, he forced Gabby to look at him and then gently admonished her, "Now you understand, my love, WHAT it was we were trying to protect you from!" His eyes welled up just a bit at his own realization. It would have been disastrous had she been raped while this pregnant, that much was certain.

Gabby cried and nodded meekly, "I thought only Jason was like this; I didn't know…" However, another contraction ripped her words away, causing her to groan in misery. "I'm sorry, I am…" she managed to strangle out to him.

Gabby moaned in pain as her contractions intensified, yet she was fully aware of her father-in-law. She managed to glance up at him as she gasped for breath. It wasn't hard for her to see disappointment etched upon his face. She turned away in shame and bit back her sobs while Seth held onto her.

It became apparent that her condition was becoming critically urgent. Shaking his head and realizing he would have to wait before chastising her, Leo knelt down beside her and his son. "Breath, Gabby, follow my lead and breath." He handed Mindy over to Seth and then focused on his daughter-in-law. Leo's heart softened as he watched her cry, easily sensing her regrets. Sighing he leaned towards her and slipped his arm under her head to give her support.

Gabby turned away from him again, ashamed and morally defeated. She knew, now, the danger she had placed herself in. The fact that Mindy and her unborn baby would have suffered as well, tore at her heart.

"Gabriella!" Leo admonished, "Look at me!"

She turned her head towards him, unable to refuse obedience despite her situation. She screwed up her face and began to cry even more, her tear-filled eyes filled with pain and sorrow. Consequently, Leo impressed upon her even more. "Follow my lead and breathe as I do…" he said gently. She mouthed the words 'I'm so sorry' and began to cry harder, whereupon Leo cupped her head and stoked her face, "You're forgiven, now do as I say and breathe as I do…" She nodded sheepishly and tried to comply.

Meanwhile, back in the restroom, the four young men were being meted out a punishment like they had never experienced before. However, Raph directed the defense as he allowed the younger two clan members the privilege of exercising discipline, "No skin damaged, no bones broken." He exclaimed with authority.

Rama looked over at him with an expression that said, _"You have to be kidding, right?"_ He caught it and reiterated, "Nothing broken, Rama! We're only to subdue and then let the authorities do the rest." She nodded reluctantly and realized that here and now was her moment of restitution and by the letter she would hold true to Raph's commands.

Devon knew what had to be done and so he led by example. As soon as Gabby and Mindy were out of the way and to safety, he leaped in and immediately whipped his tail out to trip the closest punk. The young man hit the tiled floor of the washroom with a hard thud, knocking the wind out of his lungs. He laid against the hardness the floor, gasping in desperation as he tried to reacquaint himself with breathing.

The second young man, his only exit barred by the three mutants, panicked and tried to slip under the stalls to get by them in that fashion. Rama saw an opportunity present itself and so she easily cut the youth off. Then, she cornered him inside one of the stalls. Grinning wickedly at his obvious fear, Rama quickly noticed his long black hair. She wondered, her smile widening. Not hesitating, she sent him a round house kick that barely grazed his chin, but with enough force to send him flying backwards against the wall. As he came down towards the toilet, she quickly flipped him over, sending him head first into the commode. As his head hit the water in the bowl, Rama flushed the toilet. Yet, despite his struggles, she managed to keep him upended by holding his legs firm in her strong grip. Though he attempted to dislodge himself, Rama kept the youth in that position long enough to do the job but not long enough to drown him. Standing back out of the stall, Ramiela then allowed the now drenched youth to right himself on his own. As soon as he was upright again, she was clearly pleased with her handiwork. The upright swirley new do of the young man's hair was exactly what she was hoping for and she couldn't resist laughing out loud on his behalf. He sputtered and coughed up what water he almost ingested as he fell back into the toilet only to drench his other end in the process. Looking up at the one who had done the deed, he realized he definitely had had too much to drink, for in the next moment, he hurled.

Rama could only credit her quick reflexes for getting out of harms way. Still, the interior of the restroom now reeked with undigested alcohol. Complaining as she covered her snout, she pleaded, "Man, can we take this exercise outside – quick like, before _I_ puke?"

Devon had already disabled the third would-be rapist when the fourth managed to leap up onto the sink closest to the wall. Directly above him was a window, opened and unscreened. Yet, before Raph or Devon could grab him, the boy swiftly leaped up and shot through the window. In the next moment, Rama was out the door and on her way to impede the young man's escape. That was when Raph nodded towards his son, "I can handle it from here; go get that creep!"

Not wasting a second, Devon was out of the restroom and was soon right alongside Ramiela as they gave chase. The punk raced west across the length of the park as he tried to get away. Several pedestrians taking a short cut through the interior noticed him and, then, in the next moment they saw two of the strangest creatures they had ever seen giving chase. Devon and Rama made an interesting pair yet they never stopped to consider that. In no time at all, the two mutants had Gabby's would-be attacker cornered at home plate and up against the backstop of the softball field.

The drunken youth suddenly whipped out a knife and waved it threateningly in front of him. "Stay back or sho help me I'll cut both of ya."

Devon sneered, "Can't cut unless you have something to cut with," and in the next second his tail had whipped around, smacking the knife up and out of the man's hand before he could even blink. Devon snapped his head up as he followed the weapon's trajectory, easily snatching the knife by its blade in mid air before it could hit the ground. He knew the police would find it easier to place ownership of the weapon if only the kid's prints were on the handle and not Devon's. He carefully pocketed the knife just as the punk then tried to bolt around his other opponent.

Rama, however, quickly barred his way and swung her foot out to trip him. He didn't see it in time and found himself sprawled hard against the backstop as he slid down to the dirt below. This only rewarded him with a comment from his tormentor, "Have a nice trip? See ya in the fall!" Rama laughed heartedly as she watched him scramble back up to his feet. The boy then frantically turned and tried to run in the opposite direction, only to have Devon meet him head on. "Give it up, punk, or you'll end up regretting it." Devon declared nearly snout to nose with the perpetrator.

The kid's eyes were wide with disbelief as he was momentarily stunned by how fast both mutants had moved against him.

"Tell me, again, why we can't damage this punk?" Rama complained between her teeth as she slowly advanced towards him. "We would never put up with this kind of trash back home!" she exclaimed angrily.

"Humans are judged by human courts, Rama, not by us." Devon explained and added, "Disable them and then turn in to the police, that's what we do with scum like these,"

Thinking that the two were distracted with deciding what to do with him, the young man tried one last time to slip passed them. However, Devon's tail once again met his mark as he whipped it around and tripped the boy. As a result, the punk went face first into the chain-linked backstop, where he bounced off and fell down on his rear. Rama leaped in with an aggressive move with one foot, intending on giving the youth a few satellites to look at. Unfortunately, Devon barred her way, "No, Rama, enough. He's beaten…" Turning to look down at the somewhat dazed youth, he asked him, "Isn't that right?"

The boy looked up at him, not sure how many mutants he was seeing based on all the squinting he was doing. Finally, weakly nodding in agreement, he said, "Yeah, whatever…jush don't hit me with that tail of yers again, 'kay?" At which point he collapsed on his back as the booze he drank earlier finally kicked in.

With her hands on her hips, Rama pouted at Devon, "You had all the fun and I find that incredibly unfair!"

Wiggling his eye ridges as he walked over to her, he allowed his tail to wrap around her legs, "Well, I was saving the best fun for later, my dear," and pulled her closer to him. Soon, they kissed with Rama embracing him while Devon's tail wrapped tighter around her.

"Oh, get a room, will ya?" Raph exclaimed as he walked up on them. "Can't you two keep your hands off of each other even for a few minutes?" He laughed as they pulled instantly apart, surprised and embarrassed. "'Sides, this poor sole would rather see the inside of a paddy wagon than watch you two make-out," As he easily hoisted the semi conscious boy up to a stand, he asked, "Isn't that right?"

The boy looked befuddled as he tried to make sense of who had him this time. Finally, with an air of frustration, he complained, "Why's everyone needin' my 'pinion of what's right 'r not? Jus' get me away from those two, please?" Looking once again at his tormentors, he added, "Before I puke."

Rama narrowed her eyes and begged, "Please let me have one shot, one tiny shot…I can do an extreme makeover on him so fast that…" But Devon stepped in front of her to keep Ramiela from advancing on the now wide-eyed and frightened youth, "No, Rama, let the police handle this, now." He gently took her hands into his and looked intently into her eyes, "Please?"

Sniffing in dissatisfaction, she allowed, "The most fun I've had in a while and you get all honorable on me. Well – I'll allow it – this time anyway!"

Pouting, she let Devon embrace her once more and permitted one more kiss from him. "Thanks, you're the best, Rama." He cooed.

Her eyes sparkled as she replied with a grin, "I know."

Then, with his head wobbling from side to side as all the activity intensified his drunken condition, the youth allowed Raph to lead him away from the threatening Ramiela and to the safety of police arrest.

With the other three already huddled in front of Mike, Raph had returned the wayward youth by the time the authorities arrived. Mike talked with the officers, who took notes and then one by one the officers spoke to the boys. The policemen then looked at Gabby, who was still prone and in great discomfort on the park bench. With Seth holding her, they saw Mindy; who had finally stopped crying.

While one officer went back to his cruiser, the other quietly went over to where Gabby was and, once Leo gave him permission, asked her gently, "M'am, I'm Officer Reynolds and I know you're a mite uncomfortable. An ambulance will be arriving shortly. I just need to ask you a question. Are those the young men who attacked you?"

She looked over at the four huddled men who were now surrounded by her father, Devon, and Rama. She nodded, grimacing as another contraction took over and then turned her face away from the scene. Once he had the information written down, the officer waited for his partner and when he returned, the two then discussed the situation. Finally, one of them talked with Mike, "We ran a records check on these four and three of them have an assault list as long as your arm. Unfortunately, they've been able to walk free due to lack of evidence. But given the proximity to their victims this time and that your family witnessed it, I think we can finally make a case – that is if you want to take it that far."

Mike stroked his chin and thought for a moment. "Take it as far as you can without our involvement and once my brother gets back from Japan, I'll see about picking up the slack. Right now, I don't think my niece is in any shape to go down to precinct and file a complaint. Can it be done by proxy?"

"Sorry, as reputable as your family is, it has to be done in person and by the victim. We can hold them for twenty-four hours, but that's the limit." The officer sighed, "Personally, I think they're pretty done with any activity of this sort for a while." He looked over at the four and saw the fright and confusion in their faces. It was obvious that doing battle with mutants of this nature was more than their drunken state could comprehend.

"Well, we'll see what we can do about it." Mike declared tiredly. "I'm only interested in getting the girl to the hospital; she's close to delivering soon, I think."

Not long after, the ambulance arrived. The paramedics rushed over to where Gabby was and began taking her vitals. Leo stayed with her while Seth stood nearby holding Mindy, who by now had adjusted to being out in the open with all the humans. She found the uniforms of the medics fascinating, asking her father what the things on their sleeves were, and what they were doing to her 'mommy'. Finally, the attendants went back to their emergency transport and returned with a collapsible gurney. Gently lifting her up and placed her on top of it, they wrapped Gabby in a blanket and snugly secured her. However, before they prepared to wheel her back to the ambulance, she saw Seth hand Mindy over to Leo. It was then that Gabby cried out, "Please, let me Mindy!"

Leo cocked his head, puzzled just a little, but he did as she requested and brought her daughter over to her. Looking at Mindy, Gabby sniffed, "I love you sweetie. Be good for Grandpa." She reached out and stroked her daughter's cheek and then looked up at Leo. Gabby's breathing hitched a bit as she fought back a sob and then she finally conceding, "You were right. I'm sorry." She thought of how best to say it, wondering how so as to not violate clan secrecy. Gabby then softly declared in Japanese, _"__Please, forgive me. I know, now, that I was wrong. You can take her to be trained, wherever you feel is best, I won't – interfere anymore__."_ She grimaced as another contraction began, tears beginning to stream down her face as she cried. She knew she was beaten, that she was in the wrong, yet the idea of losing her daughter for a whole year was still very painful to consider.

Leo smiled warmly, reaching out to stroke Gabby's cheek as she groaned from the contraction. He replied in the same language, _"You are forgiven, Gabriella. There will be a meeting later on about your behavior, after you've recovered, of course. However, I won't take Mindy, not yet, not until you've had your baby."_ He looked at Mindy as she quietly looked at her grandfather. The strange language he had just used obviously intrigued the child, her eyes somewhat wide and wondering. Then, Leo looked down at Gabby once again. Seeing that the contraction was easing up just a little, he smiled and softly said to her in English, "After all, Mindy needs to be here in order to welcome her new brother or sister into the world."

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_TB reader_**_: Cliffhangers are lots of fun specially as we are slowly bringing this story to an end. Wait for it though more cliffys on the way. No fits needed. Hope this was soon enough. A gratitude for your insight._

**Danceingfae**: You are right about drunks, though some people don't need to be drunk to act like complete bakas. A gratitude for your insight.

**Sailor Vegeta**: Yes Gabs is in deep trouble but as this chapter showed the calvary was close by to prevent any thing too serious. Rama doesn't like taking her own test so I'm not surprised she responded in that fashion to you. Watch for more cliffys coming soon.

**Beth**: Don't worry a good story can often get people involved and riled up. I know I have gotten caught up in many a story and sit there berating characters for their behaviours. So personally that you have gotten into it, I feel is a compliment to us and I thank you for it. A gratitude for your  
insight.****

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_BETH HART_**_: No misunderstandings – honest. It's just that I am finding myself surprised that we've crafted Gabby so that people are having emotional reactions to her. I am somewhat floored by it all. I'm glad that you are drawn into the story; it means we're doing what we're supposed to – entertaining you! :0) I've been trying to remember how Leo was in Seth, where he was possessed by Saki's evil spirit, but then I remember what he was like in Rahab, where he seemed more passive than you would have liked. He was virtually non-existent in Gaele, except for when she and Don went to Nepal. Gaele didn't like Leo; did you know that? She thought him to be quite strange. At that point, he was, since he was wrestling with his demons, so to speak. Anyway, the rescuers came in the nick if time, me thinks! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: LOL Well, whoever 'he' is, that is. Remind me not to surprise you, 'kay? :0) Yeah, baby's come when it's their time or they get tired of being jostled around! I've never had mono but my daughter has – in 6th grade. I swear, I think she's going to get it again where she just doesn't know how to quit ( she's currently in her 2nd year of college) or get enough sleep. Once you have mono, you'll be forever susceptible to it. SIGH…the worries for a parent never end. Anyway, I'm sure you could play midwife to Gabby, that is if Seth lets you near her! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: So, you figured out he was drunk, eh? How observant. Oh, you know by now she's found, chastised, and repentant. Couldn't let anything happen to the kids; just wouldn't be right. Is this update fast enough for you? Hope so. With Fan Fiction halting all updates until after Tuesday, we had to do this one early. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Cliffhanger? Oh, you haven't seen anything yet. Just wait a few chapters! Bwahahahah!!! Yeah, I know what you mean though! Yet, I've found that with stories that I read with cliffys (Ninjalara is one author that comes to mind!!), I'm on pins and needles until they update. When they do, all life stops as I know it until I read the next chapter. So, with that said, just keep your seatbelt on, cuz we'll be cliff hanging for most of this until the end. :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	46. A Moment To Reflect

**_Disclaimer_**_ - The monopoly on the adolescent chelonian shadow warriors is not owned by us, such a pity. The only thing we can say we have is a monopoly on our own OC's._

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**Chapter 46 – A Moment to Reflect**

Rama fidgeted a bit as she sat in the chair in the hospital waiting room. She had never particularly cared for the infirmary at home and the hospital definitely had that same smell and feel to it. Personally, she couldn't even begin to understand how her Aunt Sara would chose to work in such a place as this. To make matters even more uncomfortable for her, Rama still felt exposed, especially during daylight hours as she was now. However, after her early morning escapade in the park when she had helped to subdue Gabby's would-be attackers, she was realizing just how foolish her fears had been.

It was quite a contrast for Rama to consider, actually. At home, she had to be wary of humans since she and her family were virtually unknown to that society. She knew that her family, for lack of a better explanation, were the best-kept secret in New York City.

Yet, here in Devon's world, it was quite different all the way around. Where most people seemed to accept them, his clan was just one more ethnic group to consider. She shook her head in amusement, knowing that this would truly take some getting used to. However, a large part of her felt thrilled to know that she didn't have to hide anymore. During the long night and early morning chase to recover Gabriella, Rama had been silently mulling over a great many things of this nature. Of course, what Gabby had tried to do, only added to her concerns. Comparing her world to this one, Ramiela was finding herself coming to a few thoughtful decisions.

Earlier and soon after arriving at the hospital, Seth had accompanied Gabby to the delivery room to assist in bringing their child into the world. In the meantime, Devon and Raph had taken Mindy to the cafeteria for something to eat. The child had complained all the way to the hospital about being hungry, relentlessly determined to drive home that point. Rama had been quite amused with the toddler's stubbornness as she saw how much the girl reminded her of Raphael. She was quite the persistent nag, yet everyone was silently relieved that Mindy's recovery from the tea was complete. Consequently, they gladly put up with her toddler ranting.

Leo, Mike, and Rama had settled down in the reception room to await the birth of the newest member. While they did, Mike went about relaying the good news about the impending arrival of the baby with a call to Rahab and then one to Cassandra. By his expression and if his grin was any indication, it was quite evident the news was well received. Of course, just knowing that Gabby and Min were safely accounted for was relief in and of it self. For the moment, Mike was on his cell phone and currently talking with Gaele.

"Yeah, she gave us quite a run for her money, but Gab's safe." He listened for a moment as Gaele said something in reply. Then, Mike shook his head, "Yeah, well, ya know, Sweetheart, I understand all of that, but if she hadn't have challenged Leo, all of this wouldn't have been necessary. She's been apart of this family for – what – three years now? She should have known the details by this time." Mike pursed his lips as Gaele commented once more and then he nodded, "Okay, so maybe we could have taken a bit more time with her, home-schooled Min for a while until she had her other 'schooling' going, but…just the same, Gaele, Gabby should have trusted us a bit more." Then he abruptly changed the topic, "So, when yer comin' out next?" Mike's eyes brightened a bit and then he exclaimed, "Great, next month, eh? Min will be gone by then, I'm sure, but the new baby will be all ready for ya! Yeah, okay, I understand. Don't work too hard, now, ya hear? Ah huh, I'll them for ya and as soon as I know about the baby, I'll give ya a call, 'kay? Right. Bye, Sweetheart." As Mike hung up the phone, he leaned in towards Leo, who was sitting next to him, and whispered, "Best you not be here when Gaele is. She's rather unsupportive about you taking Min."

Leo sighed as he looked at his brother, yet he could only comment, "Too bad."

Rama had listened to Mike's conversation with his daughter. It was quite apparent to her that Gaele was not in alignment with Leo's decision. Yet, she really couldn't be blamed where the girl was somewhat removed from the family because of where she lived. From what Devon had told Rama where Don took all of Gaele's equipment from her for misusing them, it was obvious by that act alone Mike's oldest wasn't an active part of the clan. Then again, Gaele's work in Don's lab and her goal to find the bridge between humans and mutants was probably as much for all of them as practicing ninjitsu could be.

Rama then looked over the waiting room once again as she continued to reflect on things.

Aside from the mutant family, there was another group in the waiting area also anticipating a new arrival. Fortunately, the humans sat on the other side of the room and none seemed to be paying much attention to the clan. For that, Rama was thankful; it was bad enough for her to be there in the same room with them as it was.

While Rama was giving thought to her situation, Leo had been carefully watching her out of the corner of his eye. He knew that the excitement from the chase and battle would eventually be wearing off. Leo quite expected Rama to become more uncomfortable with her present situation. With being exposed in a public setting as she was now, it was a given her instinctive need to hide would present itself. While he studied her, he could sense her slight uneasiness. However, he also noted she seemed far more relaxed than she did when they visited Carmel a few days ago.

Suddenly, Rama rose from her chair and went over to sit next to her sensei. She sat still for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts and then she looked up at Leo.

Seeing her move to sit beside him, he could only smile as he realized that she was now ready to talk. "You seem to be handling being out in the open a bit better today, Ramiela." Leo said to her quietly. He turned a bit in his chair to face her, putting his back to the others who were there in the room with them. He wanted to give his student as much privacy as he could, anticipating what she was going to share with him.

"You think?" Rama teased and then she shrugged, "Maybe I'm just hiding it better." Rama kept her voice low so as not to draw attention to herself from those across the way. She then confessed even more quietly, "Every time I see a human come near me," she vaguely glanced in the direction of the others in the room, "I have this insane urge to go hide under a chair or somethin.'" She shook her head and smiled a little, shrugging her shoulders again as if to throw off her feelings of insecurity.

Leo narrowed his expression a bit and then chuckled lightly, "You don't seem to be acting on it though. For that, I'm quite pleased."

"No I'm not, but after all this time of being outside without any means of disguising myself," Rama admitted, "I'm starting to see how foolish it is, for here at any rate. No one has yet tried to hurt me and I don't think they're going to, either."

Leo smiled broader and then patted her knee, "Now you understand how it is." He then paused, recalling the way the evening had started to begin with. Looking at Rama and with a sterner voice, he inquired softly, "Mind telling me what went on tonight before the events with Gabby took place?" He was barely audible to the normal ear, yet the last thing he wanted was an audience from the humans across from them. Still, by their chatter, it was a good bet that whatever discussion he had with his student would be ignored for the most part anyway.

Rama grimaced at her sensei's posturing and then sighed in defeat as Mike turned to face them. She glanced at him and knew that he had also caught Leo's whispered question. It was obvious that Mike was just as expectant for an answer as his brother was. Just the same, Rama knew she would have to be careful with her reply because she didn't want to use any words that might reveal the fact that the turtle family were ninja.

"Oh – that," Rama rolled her eyes a bit. "I was kind'a hoping you would've forgotten about it," she muttered coyly. She couldn't help the bit of smile that creased her muzzle. Just thinking about explaining what went on in that bedroom between her and Devon wasn't a topic she wanted to talk about – especially with Leo. Consequently, she had to fight to keep from blushing.

Leo gave her a sterner look and she gave him one of her shrugs again. Mike couldn't help but chuckle at the chagrined look that crossed her face, if only because it reminded him of him self.

"Well," she began, drawing out the word just a little, "I had every intention of obeying the punishment to the letter. I admit that I lapsed a bit in my focus and I know I shouldn't have because I knew I was nearing the end of my punishment." Innocently, Rama looked at Leo as if to indicate that's all there was to it. When he narrowed his eyes at her, though, she knew that he knew there was more to it than that. Therefore, a bit hesitantly, she sighed, "I - sort of missed - Devon." Rama nearly choked back his name, for just mentioning it drew attention to the topic she was all ready trying to avoid. Yet she did want to explain as honestly as she could and soon realized there wasn't any way for her to avoid it at all. She turned to look Leo straight on out of respect. He nodded at Ramiela for her to continue, which she did, although a little reluctantly, "But then, when I had this sudden feeling that I wasn't alone and that something had changed, that was when I realized that I was in – ah - _Devonsroom_." Rama couldn't get the last part out fast enough and quickly looked away.

Now, she couldn't help but blush, yet she knew she had to obey her sensei. Still, she didn't hesitate to defend Devon, "At first he was really mad at me, not that I blame him. I mean I knew I shouldn't have been there. I didn't just leave the dojo of my own free will. I just seemed to have arrived in that bedroom instantly." Rama insisted quietly, as she veiled her comments a little, "Devon and I both tried to figure it out and I believe we have. He thinks it might be something that has been forgotten or abandoned as far as - _'what we do'_." Rama paused, "Well, it might have been forgotten but I think I've unintentionally rediscovered it. You see, I've done it twice before, only I didn't realize I was doing it at the time. It sort of happened accidentally since it wasn't something I was taught to do. In fact, it wasn't even a thought in my head at the time."

Leo scowled as he sensed easily that Rama was telling the truth. It was also obvious that she was quite confused and unsure of this new ability. He then noted a drop in conversation from the humans across the way. Thinking about what else happened up in his nephew's room, Leo returned his attention back to his student as he quietly said, "I think we best leave the remaining part of this conversation for later, when we can speak more freely" he advised.

It was perfectly evident to Rama what it was Leo was alluding to, so she nodded her head in eager agreement. At least, fortunately for her, she knew that her sensei accepted the fact that she had not willingly disobeyed him. She was also quite relieved to have the rest of the evening explained later. Maybe she would get lucky and Leo would forget to bring it up. Yet, muttering to herself, Rama moaned, _"Only way for that to happen is if he died of a heart attack first."_

Leo looked away for a moment, as if considering all that she had shared up to that point. Finally, he looked back at his student. He saw how she was watching him intently yet respectfully, so as not to intrude with her own senses. Leo finally asked her, "Is there perhaps something else you want to talk to me about, Ramiela?"

"Yeah, you could say that." she replied. Rama clasped her hands tightly in her lap and took a measured breath, "Ever since I found out what Gabby did to Seth and Mindy, I couldn't understand why she would do that." She looked at Leo with her eyes wondering and full of concern, "I mean I know that she loves him and her daughter, and all of you, so why would she try to hurt everyone by leaving? It just didn't make any sense to me." She bit her bottom lip as memories of her own past came to mind.

Leo smiled thinly, yet soberly, "I'm just as concerned as you are, Rama. Yet, I do plan on finding out from her why she did what she did." He then tilted his head at his student and noted an eagerness from her that said she had more to say, "What sort of conclusion did _you_ come to in your thoughts? I know while we were trying to catch up to Gabby, you often gave us some insights from your own past."

Rama gave a weak grin, "Yeah, the past seems to be out to get me lately. What Gabby did really smacked of it too," she admitted as a hint of frustration and anger came out. However, she softened just a bit, "I was reminding myself a moment ago that Gabby is basically new to the family and your ways, where she does not fully understand the traditions that we hold to. All of us grew up that way, even Shay… I mean, even Cassandra in this world grew up that way."

Mike grinned as he noted Rama was picking her words with care. He wondered silently what the girl was up to but decided not to interrupt her or Leo's conversation. He knew that his brother would have sensed it anyway.

As Rama continued, she looked down at her clasped hands, "I also know that very few people would willingly give up their child to raise somewhere else." Glancing back at Leo, she explained, "I mean, even my step mom says you can't come between an animal mother and her baby. She's had a lot of experience, too, where she works for the local zoo, so she knows about this stuff. Some animals will take more offense to being separated from their young than others will, but the need to protect their own is a strong instinct all in all."

Leo nodded in understanding about what it was she was referring. However, he thought he also knew where Rama was going with it, so he countered, "The reason for taking Mindy to Japan is to protect her, Ramiela." Leo fully understood that his student was aware of his decision when back at Mike's. He had sensed then that she hadn't really opposed to it. Nevertheless, he wasn't quite sure just yet why she was bringing it up now. He did have his suspicions, though. Just the same, Leo noticed that Rama was speaking to him in nearly a jonin-to-jonin fashion, instead of student to Master.

Carefully choosing her words, as she did not want to appear as if she were challenging him, Rama replied, "To you, take her to Japan is to protect Mindy and I understand and support your reasons for it. Yet, Gabby doesn't see it that way, or at least she didn't before now. I think she has changed her attitude, though." Rama took a deep breath as she knew what she was about to say next might be misconstrued by her sensei, "Starting Mindy here would have been difficult _while_ Gabby was against it, as she could have influenced and disrupted her daughter's training. Now, however, she is willing. I overheard what she said to you about letting Mindy go to Japan, where she told you as much." Rama paused, licking her lips. She carefully and then slowly added, "I think she now understands why it is important. I'm confident that Gabby won't stand in your way."

Leo huffed a little to himself, a bit annoyed with his student's intrusion, "So, you think I ought to back down and just give in to her?" His words, although nearly whispered, were as sharp as his own katana. Then, Leo raised an annoyed eye ridge and admonished her sternly in a horsed whisper, "RAMA!"

Mike winced. He knew that with Leo using the short version of her name so pointedly, he was trying to entice her to react. At the same time, he was also telling her that she had stepped way over the line.

As expected, she bristled with Leo's use of her nickname. Ramiela's eyes blazed quickly and then she saw him smirk. She knew instantly that he had baited her and she had fallen for it, hook line and sinker. Just the same, she scowled irritably for his setting her up.

Leo didn't waste the opportunity as he cautioned her, "Careful, 'Rama', or you might be spending some more time on your own."

The girl choked back her annoyance, "Yes, I know that, Sen…" Rama caught herself as she quickly, remembered how Leo said she should address him out in public. She corrected herself, "…Leonardo."

He nodded acceptance to her self-correction, pleased that she had caught the slip in time. He encouraged her to continue, "Go on."

Rama ducked her head a little, as she bit back her irritation, facing Leo once more, "Anyway…you don't have to back down or give in to Gabby. More than anything, this is about getting Mindy trained. Yes, you can still take her to Japan and train her there, yet how much cooperation do you think you'll get from a despondent nearly four-year-old child? She will obviously miss her family and it will not be something she'll adjust to easily. Since there is no more opposition to it here, Mindy might learn better in familiar surroundings." Rama went on to explain, "I know you can stand by your choice, that's your right as jonin of the clan." She noticed Leo nod in silent agreement, allowing her to continue, "Still, I believe that Gabby thought by taking her daughter away, that she was protecting Mindy, all because she was coming from a different perspective than you were." Rama stood her ground, or sat as the case may be, with great conviction. She looked steadily at her sensei, not as if to challenge him but to show confidence. Rama felt she truly owed Gabby this much. If it had not had been for Rama's trashing of the music shop, Mindy's training might have started on time in the first place. It had been the kunoichi's actions alone that had set the night's events into motion. She knew she was partially to blame for Gabby's behavior and Rama desperately wanted to set things right.

Yet, at the same time, Rama was fully aware that a jonin could not back down on a decision he made, regardless. Still, it was not uncommon for new information, or a change of heart, to influence that decision. Based on new findings, a jonin could change his mind and – therefore - not lose face with those who followed his lead. Besides, although she knew that Leo was a firm and strict leader, he was not without mercy or compassion. If something she could say would help to have Mindy stay at home, then it was worth incurring Leo's wrath. As it was, by the ever-increasing hard expression on his face, Rama was quite certain she had done just that.

With words dripping with sarcasm, born of his anger towards his daughter-in-law, he asked pointedly, "What makes you so sure that Gabby was trying to keep Mindy safe, Rama?" With his eyes narrowing as he carefully scrutinized the girl beside him, "I realize Gabriella is accepting things for now, but she could possible change her mind again later – especially the deeper into 'our way' that she is trained." Leo straightened up, adding maybe another inch to his height.

Seeing him posture himself with her, Rama gulped a little. He was reminding herself right then about her own sensei. Back home, Leonardo would react similarly whenever challenged on a sensitive issue. Still, she was resolved to support the idea of keeping Mindy stateside, "I guess my own experience tells me as much, Leonardo, as I don't think Gabby was acting out of selfishness. I believe she truly felt that _'our way'_ was more of a threat to her daughter and unnecessary. After all, even I was impressed with the fact that this world is safe for us! Still, Gabby might only want to protect Mindy from growing up too quickly and I can't fault her there." Rama then turned in her seat to face Leo head-on, "She wanted to shield her, Leonardo. What she did tonight wasn't in pure defiance of you as much as it was to protect her baby. Yes, she most certainly defied you and that needs to be addressed. Yet, as far as she was concerned, Mindy would have suffered more had Gabby complied."

Leo heard the sincerity of Rama's words, yet he had to ask, "How do you figure that, though?"

Rama paused as she bit her lip. She liked Gabby and considered her a good friend. Considering – early on - when she had allowed Ramiela to escape Devon's harassment while recuperating from her numerous injuries. Rama also understood a great deal of where Gabby was coming from, too. Back in her world and based upon her own experience in dealing with people, there were many who did not fully understand the clan's methods. Rama could not help but admire Gabby. It didn't take much to imagine how strange and confusing it was for her, all the training with its strong do's and don'ts. Where she was an adult and expected to learn what she needed to know, how she saw it could only have been a crash course in what could best be described as ninjitsu 101. Compound that with what Jason had been doing to Gabby at the time, it was no wonder the two experiences confused the poor girl. As Gabby had even admitted, she more than likely mixed the two experiences together. Where it concerned her own daughter, it only made it that much harder for her to accept.

With those thoughts in mind, Rama sighed and then explained, "When I was four and Shay took me, I think she really did it because she didn't fully understand that lifestyle. Even though she had lived with my family for a time, she didn't really understand all of it. Maybe she felt that I could be like other kids. I really can't say." Rama gave a shake of her head. "Perhaps all of her lies about whom and what I was or should have been was based more on her misunderstandings and her feelings for me. I don't think she had things fully figured out in her mind, as it was, about what to do once she did get me away." Rama took a deep breath again, "But I am starting to believe that she did it the first time because she really cared for me. I guess what I'm saying is, she loved me and she wanted to protect me – the way Gabby feels about her daughter. Although I don't think it occurred to my mom then that she was scaring the heck out of me." Rama gave a weak grin, "I recalled dad saying that she did love me, yet I don't ever recall her loving me the way the rest of my family did."

Leo could see that this was a profound and uneasy revelation for his student and not entirely a welcomed one for her. It was as if Gabby's actions had let Ramiela see things in a new light about her own past. He then commented softly, "Yet, despite your admittance, you do remember the fear and the anger your mother caused with all that she did to you."

Mike added sympathetically, "It's not easy to see the good in the one who did harm to you. It must be a very difficult understanding for you to come to terms with."

Rama nodded soberly and looked at her lap once again. She sighed deeply as if what Mike commented on could not have been truer. "Yeah, well the second time, she only wanted to use me. It was very different then. I know she hated my dad for keeping me from her. He had to; otherwise, the repercussions would have been disastrous. Still, the funny thing was, dad never spoke ill of her, that is not until after the second kidnapping. Up to then, he even believed that she loved me and only wanted what was best for me. If she had just left well enough alone…" but her words trailed off as Rama glanced up and saw Cassandra enter the room with the rest of the family. She quickly added before anyone could hear her, "Gabby made a wrong choice, that's all she did, and I believe she regrets it now." Rama concluded. "I think taking Mindy away would be counter productive and that's all I'm going to say." With that, she shut down and ended her part of the discussion. Now, she was quite willing to let Leo be alone with his thoughts and the ideas she had shared with him. If only one of those ideas helped matters, then she would consider it worth her while to interfere.

If not, at least she had tried.

Now, it was Leo's call to make, one way or the other.

As soon as she saw the others from her family in the room, Mindy broke loose and went over to scamper onto Leo's lap. As he grabbed her up in a hug, she asked him excitedly, "When I have brudder or sista, Ganpa?"

The other people in the room turned at the sound of her excitable question and could not help but smile in response. Mutant or human, a child's enthusiasm was a remarkable sight.

Leo smiled as he told her while she snuggled in close to him, "When it's their time, Mindy. All children come when they are ready and not before."

Not long after, Seth came in and everyone looked up expectantly. Yet, by the wide tired smile on his face, they all knew. "I have a SON!" he exclaimed proudly as his smile grew even more. "Jordan Leonardo Raphael Angelo has entered the world." Everyone sniggered at the long name, yet they all knew it was quite appropriate.

However, Raph could not help himself as he rolled his eyes, "So, pray tell, how're we ever going to shorten that one!" which generated another round of amused chuckles from the family.

Seth then gave a longing look at Mindy and wondered silently if his dad would still take her. Though he would support his father's decision without hesitation, just the same his heart would break as much as his wife's.

Leo suddenly declared as he stood up, holding onto a cheering and clapping Mindy, "Well, then I believe we ought to let Mindy see her new brother and while were there, I'll have something of great importance to say."

Seth's heart leaped just a little and he gulped in anxious anticipation, "What would that be, Father?"

"Timing is everything, my son," Leo replied as he remembered his own father's words, "And the time, now, is to welcome our newest member of the family! The rest will be addressed later."

With that, Leo led the entourage, while his granddaughter nattered on about all the wonders of the world she was going to teach her new baby 'brudder' – Jordan Leonardo Raphael.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

****

**_Danceingfae_**_: You're welcome for the quick update; unfortunately, due to problems this one was a bit delayed. LOL your inner stupidity line. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Do you like causing trouble? What is this pairing of Seth and Rama? DO you know something we do not? I have a feeling that Gabby might just have a problem with that and I can see why Rama is throwing sais at you. It is Devon who happens to be paired with Rama. Sorry just had to give you a bad time about that. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: Gabby does come by her rebel side honestly being as Raph is her father. Plus the thought of what Leo intended to do spurred her on to things she might not have done otherwise. As they say, though all is well that ends well. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENT_**

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Ah, lately, updates can only be as fast as fan fiction allows them to be. And, as Ramica stated, love the 'inner stupidity' line. I nearly laughed myself off my chair! LOL Ah, labor…yes, I do happen to know what that's like – twice! No, it's not fun, but it is sort of mixed with excitement and worry. Excitement about the coming birth of your child and the worry concerning how much pain you really can take! However, I thank my Lamaze classes for teaching me how to breathe, which gave me something to do. It does minimize the hurt, too. Tensing up is NOT a good thing to do – take it from me! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Hmm…Seth and Rama, eh?__ I wonder what dear old brother Devon would think of that? I'm sure he'd be stuck deciding whom to trash first, Seth or Rama, not to mention how fast Seth would have to run once Gabby finds out about his little tryst with the kunoichi. Oh, the problems readers can cause with simple little mix-ups like what you did in your last review! LOL Well, fortunately, we don't plan on using it so I guess Seth can rest easy – for now, anyway! Ah, gee, take it outside, will ya? Not all that in-house fighting is good for the breakable stuff. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Yeah, seems Fan Fiction has been having problems lately. As far as kicking it up a notch, action always takes a while to get to for some reason. What is it they say; a parent's worse nightmare is to see their bad traits in their own children? Yeah, that's the one. Anyway, Gabby's stubborn rebellious streak was handed down to her; couldn't avoid it if she'd tried. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	47. Acceptance

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_You can write a story about teenage mutant ninja turtles but that doesn't mean you own the name. Hence that is the case in this instance_.

**_Attention all TMNT Fan Fiction readers!_****_ The end-of-the-year Fan Fiction Contest is upon us. Ziptango will be hosting the 2004 awards as she has done for the last two years. Your job is to read over the list of categories and decide which stories you like best for each! Of course, Ramica and I would love for you to consider any of ours, but more than anything, we want your honest picks! Really, we do. So, start making a list of the best stories you've read regarding Don, Raph, Leo, and Mikey! If you've never participated in this voting before, check my personal start page on Fan Fiction. There, I'll have the site address that will show the list from last year to give you an idea of what categories will be offered. There may be a few new ones, too. As soon as Zip offers up the voting 'sheet', that addy will also be on my Fan Fic start page._**

**_On your mark, get ready, get set…read!! _**

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**CHAPTER 47 - Acceptance**

As she looked around, sadly shaking her head, Rama was unprepared to see the kind of damage she had done to Cassie's shop. It was quite hard to believe that she had behaved so poorly. Yet maybe what she experienced with her depth of ninjitsu would explain why she did not have any memory of the destruction. Oh, she recalled tossing Devon, Leo, and the rest, all right, but the ensuing wreck that followed was obviously something she had blocked out mentally. Rama just could not recall doing this much damage.

Nevertheless, as she stood there in the doorway and surveyed the carnage that was once a respectable music store, she felt the weight of her misdeeds all over again. Rama winced inwardly and wanted to turn away to avoid the sight. Just the same, though, she made herself look in spite of her desire not to. Sighing dejectedly, she commented to herself, _"How did I ever lose it so completely?"_

Now, as she looked up at Cassie, she had to steel herself once again from seeing the woman as Shay. Ramiela was getting used to the fact that Gabby's mom looked identical, albeit older, than her own mother did, but it was still a lesson in self-control for her. "Well, where would you like me to begin?" Rama noticed there were several piles of debris for the picking, but she decided to let Cassie do the honors as far as which one to work on first.

As Cassandra grabbed up a broom from behind her desk, she looked around, "Hmm…maybe you could sweep up the glass I pushed off to the other side of the shop, over there by that display desk. I'll go and get something to put it in and dustpan – be right back." She then handed Rama the broom and quickly retreated through the doorway at the rear of the store.

Devon hugged Ramiela and gave her a quick peck on her cheek, "You sure everything's going to be all right, hon?"

"Yeah, I've certainly learned my lesson," Rama smiled wryly, "Besides; you need to get back to Mindy. She was quite put out with you for volunteering as my taxi driver."

Devon chuckled a little, "Yeah, that little squirt is more anxious about her first lessons than I am in giving them to her." He saw a bit of wistfulness settle on his beloved's face, so he hugged her, "You okay about being demoted?"

"Can't blame Gabby much; after all, I did give her reason to run away in the first place." Rama was quite disappointed, actually. Yet, when Leo had reversed his decision to take the toddler to Japan, she kept her mouth shut when Gabby insisted that Devon be her sensei.

In retrospect, Leo had told Rama later that her insight helped him to see the wisdom of keeping the child close to the family. He was just so unprepared with Gabby's defiance that she had left him with little choice but to remove Mindy from her mother's influence. Now that his daughter-in-law understood the kind of dangers that awaited her own daughter if left untrained, Gabby had relinquished all protests against it. This pleased Leo greatly and he made it known that he had forgiven her. There was still the matter of discipline, but that would not take place until she had recovered sufficiently from having Jordan. Until then, Leo was making time for Gabriella by schooling her in the deeper knowledge of ninjitsu. He insisted on her meditating with him, as well, even if all she did was pray. The only thing he asked of her was to be open-minded without question to his teachings and wisdom. Overall, Rama thought it honorable the way Leo had forgiven Gabby. Certainly, it took class and a bit of wisdom, which only deepened the kunoichi's respect for him.

Rama then silently considered her demotion. Of course, if Leo had taken off with Mindy to Japan, then there wouldn't be any need for her to train the child anyway, so what difference did it make to her? She also reminded herself that the important thing was that Mindy was still at home and being trained without interference. "It's enough that with both Leo and Gabby having their way and that Mindy gets trained." she had reasoned to herself.

Then, Rama thought about the punishment that Gabby would probably still have to face. Moving over to the pile of glass shards to begin sweeping them up, she turned to Devon and asked, "Do you think Leo will banish Gabby to the dojo?" She winced as she noted another pile, made from the merchandise destroyed in the melee nearly a week ago. It was quite apparent that Cassandra had left the bulk of the destruction for her to clean up.

Devon shrugged as he watched her work, "I doubt it; not where she's nursing a baby and all. I think that once she recovers physically, he'll have one of us train her on a daily basis the way that we were trained. The time he's spending with her now will obviously pave the way. More than likely, Leo will probably set her straight on some things and let her know that, if she acts up again like she did, he'll take Min regardless."

Rama sighed and was quiet for a few moments as she stopped her work. Finally, looking up into Devon's face and with somber eyes, she softly admitted, "I hope for Gabby's sake that she doesn't go back on her promise of not interfering. She'd be lost without her kids."

"Yeah, don't I know it," Devon agreed quietly, "Seth, too, for that matter." Then, he smiled, "I wouldn't put it past my uncle to have Gabby sent to Japan for a few months, though – once Jordan is weaned. Sis is long over due, believe me."

Rama smiled, "It might actually do her some good." As she thought about Gabby, another aspect of ninjitsu came to mind. "I've been told that there is a way ninja can kill without even touching a person. They don't use poisons or weapons but a sort of mind-control thing. Ninja that are capable of doing such a thing have gone way beyond killing. It's like they know they can but they choose not to." Rama shook her head, "Trained to kill and, yet, going beyond it. Wouldn't Gabby feel better about that?" Ramiela knew that if she had that power, it would be harder to dispatch even her hated enemies. It was an ability that would demand great resistance and wisdom.

"I've heard about that, too," Devon agreed, but he then shook his head. "Although, I wouldn't go telling Gabby about it just yet."

Rama commented quietly, "I wasn't going to. It's just that she's afraid that killing was all ninjitsu was for. Yet, Ninja prefer to live as one with those that are around them." She then became a bit wistful, "Yet, the way I live, though, I'll probably never experience that."

Devon gave her a hug and then leaned in to kiss her, "Hey, never know what the future holds, my dear. Things can change, even in your world."

Just then, Cassie came back into the shop, carrying a bucket, "Best I could find. Have fun!" She then handed it over to Rama, whereupon the woman eyed Devon, "Don't you have somewhere to be right now?" She smiled as she waited for him to respond. Cassie was well aware about his new role in the family and she seemed rather amused by it all. _"Raphael's son, a sensei – how ironic,"_ she thought to herself.

"Ah, yeah, guess I do." Devon then leaned in and kissed Rama again, saying, "Be back in a few hours. Be good, okay?"

Rama narrowed her expression at him and cocked her head, "Oh, you can bet on it…I've seen enough of _that_ dojo to last me for a while." Her tone was grudging at best, but considering the last few days where Leo had been finding every excuse in the book to push all of her buttons, she really couldn't be blamed.

Chuckling as he opened the door to leave, Devon called back to Cassie, "She gives you any lip, just let Leo know, 'kay?" He looked at Rama and snickered, "I'm sure he'd love to try out some of his lectures on her."

However, before Rama could whack him with the broom, Devon had quickly slipped out of the shop. She could easily hear him laugh, though, as he swiftly closed the door, causing her to huff indignantly. She turned back around towards the interior of the store, shaking her head and muttering, "Never going to live this down, not ever."

Cassie laughed, "Oh, I'm sure you will, but I have to admit, you've certainly given your family something to work with."

Rama snorted, "Yeah, maybe in a hundred years from now they'll grow tired of it. Besides I don't need a Leo lecture. I know all of them by heart…unless this one has some new material." Rama thought about that and then muttered, "I'm not interested in hearing it anyways."

Cassie chuckled and shook her head, then proceeded to take up a second broom to begin sweeping the floor as Rama took the offered dustpan. Between the two of them, they began gathering up the collection of broken glass that Ramiela had so artfully created.

As Rama worked, she thought about the last few days. Yes indeed, Leo didn't miss a beat with having her down in the dojo to work off her disobedience. As he told her, it was her responsibility to have walked out of Devon's room before he awakened, regardless of how she arrived or how much she missed him. He also warned her about becoming too intimate too quickly. He had even scolded her, "If there is a way for you to return home, Rama, I doubt very much you'll want to go back to your family pregnant."

She had to agree to that, "Yes, you're right, of course. I mean, how would I explain that one to my dad? It wouldn't matter what world I was in to get that way in the first place, he'd chuck me out of my shell big time!"

Leo couldn't help but smirk at her comments, yet his amusement didn't diminish the severity of his impending lessons for the kunoichi. The first thing he did was to tie her up. Based on what she had told him with how Shay had kept her during the second kidnapping, he knew instinctively it would be Rama's Achilles heel. He had then given her strict orders to not wiggle out of them, but to endure – and then he left her by herself while he returned to the family room. Even though Rama had already been challenged on this issue back in her world, it was still blatantly obvious she hated the experience. Yet, she knew that a ninja warrior might find themselves in a situation where such an act could happen. Their patience would then have to outweigh their circumstances. Yet in the end, she was amazed with the depth of despair the exercise generated within her. Certainly, this Leo knew what it took to initiate such reactions.

Another attempt to get her to react was calling her by the shorter version of her name. If Rama responded in even the slightest negative fashion, Leo would crack down on her. It didn't matter if she held her tongue in check, either. Just sensing her irritation was an excuse for him to discipline her. This only encouraged Rama to change the way she viewed his torture.

Needless to say, with her punishment and the training combined, she had spent more time in the dojo than anywhere else for nearly a week. Of course, during part of that time, Leo tried to get an understanding of Ramiela's teleportation abilities. He questioned her on it thoroughly, hoping to trip her up and maybe even reveal how she had actually performed it. Even though the recordings said otherwise, it was such an astounding ability that Leo was certain it had to be a trick of some sort. Yet, despite his questions and hard-line approach, he could sense nothing but sincerity from his student.

Finally convinced, Leo then tried to discover if she could control that ability by getting her to make short hops from the dojo to the garden and back again. Unfortunately, she could not, much to his disappointment and hers as well.

For Leo, it would have proven what had been only regarded as myth. Throughout their history, it was said that ninja were able to travel great distances within a short span of time; moving faster than even he or his brothers were capable of. He remembered how quickly Rama moved across the dojo floor when Don demanded proof of her ninjitsu, back when she first arrived and was still injured. Even then, she had shown much ability. Maybe she was the next step in their evolution, which – of course – would make the task of sending her back home even harder. Leo was beginning to favor Devon and Rama marrying, if only to strengthen the gene pool of their species. Maybe it was a calculated perspective, but the basic need for survival was something that Leo understood. At the very least, it justified Seth's existence, despite the way his son was conceived.

For Rama, her disappointment was in discovering that wanting to teleport wasn't enough. She was certain that deep meditation plus a desperate need, maybe even a life-saving need, had to be employed first. If that was the case, then she was stuck. She loved Devon very much and even though she missed her family with equal passion, neither was greater than the other. Because of that, she was certain that no amount of meditation would change where she was. Still, unless something happened to Devon, she really wasn't going to complain much.

All in all Rama was now quite happy to be in the music store and relieved of the dojo. More than likely, the difficulty of Leo's lessons was deliberate on his part where he wanted to insure proper respect from her while in Cassie's company. To Rama, she would have given it anyway. Yet, she had to admit that any disrespect towards Gabby's mom would only mean more time with Leo – and there wasn't any way she ever going to let that happen!

"So, how is Mindy handling being a big sister?" Cassie asked as she and her helper shoveled another dustpan of glass shards into the bucket.

"Oh, she loves it – what I've been able to see of her." Rama admitted.

"Ah, yes, Leo." Cassie nodded in understanding.

"No, it's not that. Actually, Gabby is still a little unsettled with me." Rama sighed and then shrugged a little. "She won't let me get near Mindy or even hold the baby."

"Hmm…well, it'll take time, but Gabby forgives. Just give her some room." The woman easily saw how disappointed Rama was. "I take it you were close to Mindy?" she asked her.

"Yeah, I spent every day at their house playing with her. That's okay, though. I'm glad that Leo is keeping Min at home for her training." Rama swept up the last of the broken glass onto the pan and dumped it into the now full bucket.

Cassandra made a mental note to speak with her daughter, to give her some insight to this deeply chastised girl. Forgiveness was a two-way street, after all. With what Gabby had done that night when she tried to run away and with Leo changing his mind about Mindy, Cassie was a bit miffed with her daughter. Maybe it was lost on her how hard Rama had worked to change Leo's mind about taking Mindy to Japan. Just the same, Cassie was certainly going to remind Gabby about it, if it was the last thing she did.

"So, what little you've seen of him, how's my grandson? I wanted to stay longer at Mike's after Gabby came home from the hospital, but this shop needed to be put back together. Otherwise, I might as well close the business."

Rama looked up at Cassie, "Oh, he's doing okay. Everyone's surprised he has a shell on his back. They expected Seth's tail, of course, and his blue hair. However, not the shell. Mindy's more interested in the tail, though. It won't be as long as Seth's or Devon's, but it's more than she has!" Rama laughed a little, "In fact, Mindy's rather jealous about it. I guess she's always been fascinated that Seth has one but she and Gabby don't."

"Ah, well, I can see where that would intrigue her. My granddaughter doesn't miss a beat. I'm sure she'll pick up the lessons rather quickly, too."

Over the next couple of hours as they worked together, Rama found Cassandra to be quite pleasant to talk with. The more they shared, the less Cassie reminded her of Shay. Soon, she began to relax even more and enjoy her time with the woman. "So, how many years did you sing on Broadway?"

"For a few, while Gabby was a teenager. I coached her to sing, too; I did tell you that, though, right?" Cassie asked as she slowed her work.

Rama's chuckled, "Yeah posing as a blind instructor. When you mentioned it, I found it so amusing." Rama admitted, "I mean the deception with the disguise and then pulling it off. That would make such a great practical joke." She snickered somewhat as her mind began to work around the idea.

Cassie looked over at the girl and arched her eyebrows, "So, I've appealed to your sense of humor have I?" She shook her head, "Somehow, based on what I heard from Mike about your April Fool's Day games, you don't need any help in that department."

Rama smirked at her words and then admitted, "I can never have too much material to work with, Cassie!" and then she laughed, which only encouraged the woman to join her.

Still, Rama was rather intrigued with the fact that Gabby's mom had coached her in voice, all the while disguised as a blind woman. "How were you able to coach her and not have her wonder about you, though?"

"Ah," Cassie stopped her progress with putting up her new shelving, "Well, Gabby never knew who I was, in the first place, since the professor and I decided to keep it a secret. At that time, she believed her mother was dead. That was the blessing - and the curse."

"Why a blessing and a curse?" Ramiela asked, handing another pane of glass shelving to Cassie for her to put up.

"Well, the blessing was she was happy with the professor where I was unable to raise her. I was able to see her and watch her grow up without needing to interfere, of course. However, if she knew about our kinship, it might have caused many problems for him. As it was, I felt sorry for Perry, with Gab's temper and the tantrums she would fling upon him. Looking back on it, though, I saw a lot of myself in her. But, growing up in the Foot and then having Saki so involved with me, I didn't dare show such behavior."

Rama nodded eagerly, "I'm sure you'd be eating dust for a week!" She smiled at the thought, knowing how her own sensei would react if she exhibited such disobedience.

"No, Ramiela…" Cassie looked at her with the most solemn expression, "I would be dead." She looked down at her feet for a moment but then back to the shelving, only to say, "No amount of disrespect was ever tolerated. By example, I learned never to back-talk him." She glanced at the girl again and was quiet for a moment. Then, she shared, "I watched my best friend die from a beating, all because she said 'no' to him. Disobedience or refusal to do something – anything – was met with severe punishment. Yin paid the ultimate price and it was on my behalf, too." She sighed some and then continued, "Saki could sense mounting irritation in any of us, and he would not have made an exception with me just because he was fond of me. He would have had to treat me as he would anyone else. Consequently, he pushed Yin to the point where she verbally lashed back to him. He had her killed just to show me what would happen if I did the same thing. Her death was to save me from my own." She took a deep breath, only to add but with a little more upbeat, "But, that's all in the past, so – let's get going with getting the shop ready, shall we?"

Rama had to admit being shocked by Cassie's statement, yet at the same time, she knew from what her father told her that Shredder was more than just evil.

"He wasn't human, Rama. I truly believe he was an entity beyond what this world considers normal," he had told her once. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was a demon in disguise," was what he had admitted to her. It was the last time her father ever mentioned his family's old nemesis, too. That was several years ago and Ramiela never forgot the hallowed if not fearful look in her dad's face, either.

Yet, she thought of all she had heard about Yukio, Saki's replacement, who seemed just as bad if not worse then Shredder. How often her Sensei had said he'd almost like to have Shredder back because he was far more predictable and less dangerous than Yukio had proven to be. Rama wondered where the Foot clan found such, evil immoral people to lead their organization. However, she shrugged off the idea as she did not want to dwell on it anymore. Here in Devon's world, the Foot were no longer and, therefore, she was safe.

Still, Rama could not help but feel just a bit guilty knowing that her true family wasn't.

Remembering the other half of what Cassie had mentioned, she asked, "And the curse?"

Smiling wistfully, the woman replied, "Not being able to treat her as my daughter," Cassie didn't offer any more comments, but went back to working at putting up the new shelving.

It was nearly four hours after Devon left and the shop was now virtually free from any evidence of Rama's destruction. With the new shelving already in place, Cassandra had decided that a break was in order. Now, a pot of hot tea and scones sat before them on the small table at the back of the shop. The two ladies casually chatted away while they sipped their hot beverage and nibbled at their bread. Rama had to admit to herself that she was enjoying the budding friendship between her and Cassie - and it seemed to be mutual.

"I'm rather enjoying our little time together, Ramiela." Cassandra remarked suddenly. "You're quite different when you're not going all 'Raph' on me!" she laughed a little at her joke, but sobered quickly as she saw her friend's demeanor change. Cassie reached over and patted Rama's arm affectionately, "Ah, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make light of it."

"That's okay…guess I deserve it." She sighed a little and took the rest of her tea in one gulp. "Guess we better get back to work eh?"

"No, wait…" The woman gently took Rama's hand to keep her from leaving her seat, "I want you to know that I forgive you, okay? What's done is done and there's nothing you can do to change it." She saw a small look of relief play out on the girl's face, as if it was something she desperately needed to hear. Still, just as quickly, it clouded over with another look of self-chastisement.

"Yeah, I know, but…it's just that…if I had exercised more control, then Gabby wouldn't have had any reason to take off and Jordan might not have been born so soon…"

However, Cassie cut Rama off, "First - rule number one - let it go. Whatever happened, happened for a reason. Gabby would have freaked out eventually, but better sooner rather than later; considering she might have had more at her disposal than she had four days ago."

Rama asked, "What do you mean by that?"

Chuckling a little, Cassie replied, "Over the past year, Gabby's been toying with the idea of taking drivers training but she's insecure about it and Seth wouldn't let her anyway. Seems he's afraid she'll get into trouble somewhere and won't have the training to protect herself. The kind of family she's from, that you're from, she needs to know how to defend herself. It's just the way it is, sometimes."

Rama nodded in agreement, "Yeah, I found that out at that park. But, those guys were drunk so maybe if they had been sober, they wouldn't have…"

Cassie cut her off with a wave of her hand, "Doesn't matter; there's always the despot who thinks he can get away with being a jerk. Anyway, Jordan was born when he was supposed to be. He's only a couple of weeks early and is perfectly fine, nothing wrong with him. So, I don't want to hear any more about you feeling guilty regarding my shop or what happened with Gabby, okay?"

"Well, I guess…" Rama felt worse for her actions, now that she was discovering that Cassie was not anything like her mother. She wanted to forget about what she did, but being in the very place where she had done the deed brought it all back to her. It made it hard for her to forgive herself. What made it more pronounced was seeing how badly she had destroyed the place. Moreover, the fact she was starting to see Cassie as the good person she was only confirmed what everyone had told her from the start. _"Maybe this was what Mom was like when Dad first met her,"_ she thought to herself.

"Look, Ramiela," the woman began, "If you have one foot behind you and one under you…" she looked hard at the kunoichi and by that measure had the girl's attention, "How can you ever take a step forward into the future? You can't because you only have two feet. Stay in the here and now so when the moment presents itself, you can step forward. So long as you keep living in the past and dwelling on your mistakes, you'll never progress to be better than you were." Cassie smiled knowingly, "Take it from me, the past can't do anything for you other than remind you of where you've been." She smiled broader and then offered as she presented the plate to her, "More scones?"

Rama sighed and then grinned in return, taking another of the delicate biscuits."You know, you talk a lot like Master Splinter, only with fewer riddles. Still, you make a lot of sense," she admitted shyly.

It was not too much longer after that when the phone rang. Rama had returned to preparing the shelves, cleaning the glass in preparation for the new inventory. With delivery happening the next day, it was imperative for the shop to be ready by then. Currently, Cassandra was in the back, cleaning up from their break. "Can you get the phone, Rama?" she called out, "My hands are a bit sudsy."

"Sure, no problemo," the girl replied eagerly. Quickly leaving the glass cleaner and rag on the newly polished shelf, Rama went over behind the cashier counter and picked up the phone, "The Musical Note, may I help you."

"Ha, so she has you playing secretary, too, eh?" It was Mike. He chuckled a bit at his rub.

"Oh, funny. No, actually, she has me playing Merry Maid and I kind of like it, so you can quit with the jokes." Rama laughed and then asked, "So, what can I do ya for?"

"Need to talk with Cassie," was all Mike said. Rama noted something strange with his voice, but it was too subtle to cause her much alarm. Maybe things at his music studio were not going very well. He had experienced problems the day before with a recent recording and, as a result, had spent extra hours at his business in Monterey trying to fix it. Consequently, he was not at the house earlier when Devon took Rama up to Carmel to help clean Cassie's shop.

"Sure, I'll go get her." Rama then sat the phone down and called out, "Cassie, Mike's on the phone and wants to speak with you."

A moment later, the woman emerged from the back, wiping her wet hands on a towel as she made for the cashier counter. She smiled and took the phone from Rama's outstretched hand. Speaking into the receiver, "Yes?"

As she listened, Ramiela turned away to give Cassie some visual privacy. However, almost in that same instant, a sudden charge of negative energy shot through her like a bolt of lightening. She whipped around to face Cassandra again and immediately noticed a severe drop in the woman's attitude.

Cassie stood there with the phone to her ear, all color draining from her face as she listened into the receiver. Then, after a long silent moment, she said soberly and distantly, "No, I – I'm still here. Yeah, I'll – ah – we'll be there as soon as I can lock up the shop. Yeah, see you in a few." Gently replacing the phone into its cradle, Cassie stared at it for the longest time.

Rama's breathing was shallow, as if she dared not ask what the call concerned. It was obvious that whatever Mike had said to her, it had greatly affected Cassie. Yet, Ramiela sensed that something horrible had happened and it was gnawing at her to find out what it was. Finally and with much trepidation, she softly asked, "What's wrong, Cassie?" Given the fact that Jordan was only a few days old and born early, at that, Rama was hesitant. It was a great worry for her; yet not knowing what the call was about seemed even worse for Ramiela.

Cassandra blinked a couple of time, as if startled out of some reverie. Then, as an errant tear found its way down her cheek, she looked up at Rama with her eyes moist and ready to burst. Wiping the lone drop aside and looking once more at the phone, she replied as her voice nearly broke, "There's – been a terrible accident."

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

_  
_**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: That is okay we all make mistakes, it is what they call being human. Your human error gave us a laugh at any rate. You should have seen the slip up I sent to Reinbeauchaser regarding the baby's name- Iaccidentally wrote his name as Jason even though I knew she wanted Jordan. Ooops! Luckily we corrected that after laughing about it. If you are going get into trouble just remember Raph's two rules about trouble all right? A gratitude for your insight._

**_Danceingfae_**_: Long name yes, but it honours all of the fathers involved. Now you know Rama's talk did do some good. I'm wishing you luck and then some. Please say it is a yes? A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: How things turn out with Gabby and Leo remains to be seen. As for Don stay tuned we are working on it and that is all I'm going say on that point. Same with keeping Leo in America, we are working on it. Stay tuned. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TBReader_**_: Yes Rama is learning but that is what life is about growing, learning and possibly changing your opinion and how you look at life. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Yes there is more to come, a bit more action, a bit more story before we truly reach the end so do stick around. How long of a name do you want the poor kid to have? Then again it doesn't seem fair to not include Don in it to. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Glad you like happy endings! We do, too. Yes, there's still the main climax yet to do, believe it or not. Well, Don is not part of Jordan's immediate genealogy, so he's left out for that reason alone. Gabby wanted to honor her father and step-father – putting Leo first because, one, he's Seth father and, two, she wanted to try and make up for what she tried to do. Well, as the next few chapters unfold, you'll see that we're streamrolling towards the finish line. Bwahahaha!!! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Glad you liked 46. Yeah, Rama is truly learning, that much is certain. Jord? Hmm…might be, might not be – only subsequent sequels will tell. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_BETH HART_**_: A, yes, you certainly would love to kick her rear, now, wouldn't you? Still, Leo in this universe is more even tempered and where he himself has been through a lot and has committed sins against the family ( remember how Seth was conceived???), he's not without compassion. He knows that education is the forerunner to understanding and acceptance. It is to this end that he has set his goals. As this chapter briefly explains, he has taken it upon himself to educate Gabby in the ways of ninja, sort of like a concentrated version of what Don had prescribed to her back in YD. You can be certain – as far as this story is concerned – that Gabby will come to understand her place and her childrens place within the clan. Can't promise anything about any of the TMNT's roll in this story, but we are heading for a major climax and ending. You can definitely count on that! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Yeah, well, we couldn't resist the names where so many TMNT's were involved with Jordan being brought into the world. As you have read by now, Min's future is pretty much decided for now – that is as far as this story is concerned. Ah, you need to keep us updated re: your doctor's visit. Is it time to celebrate, yet? Golly, I'm on pins and needles right now! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: LOL Yeah, thought you'd feel that way, that's why we replied the way we did. - We thought the long name was sufficient. Let whomever shorten whatever and use whatever name. Considering there are already a Leo and Raph, I think you're probably correct about Jordan. It just wouldn't be good for Min to be eight thousand miles away from her family. She's too young. Maybe when she turns ten or so… A trouble maker, eh? Well, just remember that in ten years or so, you'll have to look back on all of that. :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	48. Nervous Anticipation

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Ah, well, I guess without these disclaimers, we'd all be sued up the river, eh? So, without further complaint, I don't own anything other than my OC's, Ramica owns her OC and we both own the chairs we sit on. Any problems with that, take it up with Raphael. _

**_Alert_**_! **The 2004 Fan Fiction Competition** is soon to start. **Ziptango** is going to be doing the hosting honors again and will be holding the contest during the last **two weeks of December**. So, start reading all those stories you loved from this year and pick out your favorites. Again, only readers can nominate stories, not the author of said stories. That means if I really like one of mine, too bad. I cannot toot my own horn, so to speak. Someone else has to – hint hint! :0) Okay, I'm only kidding, but you know what I mean. _

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**Chapter 48 – Nervous Anticipation.**

Rama furrowed her brow in worry. She knew instinctively, with the down-swing in Cassandra's emotions, that whatever Mike had shared with her, the news couldn't be good. Even Cassie's own words, _'terrible accident'_, left so much dangling in the air.

Therefore, quite concerned and troubled, Ramiela gently asked, "Cassandra, what happened?" She deliberately held back invading the woman's mind out of respect. Regardless of what it was about, though, she couldn't help but silently berate Mike for telling the woman in the way that he had. Was it so imperative for Cassie to know now, rather than wait until she was back at the house?

"Did - something happen to…" Rama began, but then stopped herself short of actually expressing that thought. Aside from her initial fears for Jordan, perhaps Mindy fell down the stairs in the big house or quite possibly she might have wandered out back into the forest. Considering what Don had said weeks ago about cougars frequenting the woods, it was a realistic concern.

Cassandra only shook her head, silently calming herself with several deep breaths. Despite her shock, she drew on her old training to take care of what needed to be done in the here and now. Finally, tearfully glancing at Rama before heading back towards her small living area, she croaked out, "Come on, I told Mike I'd bring you home."

Rama rolled her eyes in irritation as she followed her. She totally forgot about the shelf that she had been cleaning. All she could think about now was the 'terrible accident' that Cassie was so upset with. It also seemed odd to Rama that Mike sounded just fine to her when she answered the phone. In fact, he had even teased her as if nothing was amiss. Then, it seemed as if he dropped what turned out to be the proverbial bombshell on Cassie. That confused Rama to no end. She couldn't understand how in one moment she was to accept them as 'family' and then in the next they treat her as if she were an outsider.

Not the least bit insensitive to Cassie's dwindling mood, yet desperate to know what was going on, Rama persisted, "I want to know what in blazes is going on and what happened. Mike didn't even hint anything to me about it!"

The two were now in the small living area with its efficiency kitchen at the back. Cassie momentarily looked at the still wet dishes in the drainer and decided to let them air dry. She then turned and, brushing past Rama, commented, "Right now nothing has been confirmed, Ramiela," and then she took the stairs two steps at a time to her bedroom.

Rama huffed just a little in frustration, but followed Cassie up the stair casing anyway. As she trudged up the steps behind her, she thought of a host of things that could be considered bad news. It made her very anxious with unresolved worry. As she came to the second story, without thinking Ramiela followed Cassandra into her bedroom. However, she stopped when she suddenly realized she was virtually invading the woman's privacy. Quickly assessing the neatly appointed décor, Rama stepped back out into the small hallway and waited. Finally, when she saw Cassie scoop up some keys and then snagged a jacket from off a coat hook on the door, she asked more insistently, "**What** hasn't been confirmed? Whatever it is that happened is still pretty harsh news for how you're feeling, you can't deny that,"

As the woman came bustling out of her bedroom, she nearly collided with Rama. Coming up short and somewhat startled, it was obvious her mind had been elsewhere. Yet, seeing the earnest and pained expression on the girl's face, Cassie, sighed. It was only fair that she be informed about what had happened. "You do know that Don was staying in Japan, right?" her voice was strained, yet soft. At the same time, she hustled Rama down the stairs and back into the shop.

Ramiela followed along, easily keeping pace with her, "Yeah, I know he's been caught up in business. It's what's been delaying his return trip home." Suddenly, it dawned on her, "Did – did something _happen_ to him?" Just hearing Don's name mentioned in almost the same 'breath' as the 'terrible accident', caused Rama's stomach to flip flop.

As she stepped into the main shop and hurried towards the front door, Cassie switched a lamp on by the cashier's desk, "Yes, or it's believed something has happened. Don was staying at the Hotel Hankyu in Osaka," she then stopped by the door. Taking a deep breath, she turned to face Rama as her eyes welled up with tears once again. Unable to keep the emotion from her voice, she strangled out, "There was an explosion that caused major damage to the upper levels of the hotel. A great deal of the damage seems to be centred near the room that Don was supposedly in." She stared for a moment at Rama and, then, ushered her outside, whereupon Cassie closed and locked the door to her shop.

Rama's eyes grew large with shock, taking in this bit of news as she stood out on the sidewalk. People walked by her, some looking briefly at the reptile with the long black hair, but paid no other mind and continued along their way. Rama hadn't even noticed them. She could only slowly shake her head in denial at Cassie as she choked out, "But, maybe he wasn't in his room." She felt a strange twisting bit of anxiety in her gut, which told her that she was only kidding herself. Why would Cassie react as she had unless there was a greater chance that Don was indeed in his room at the time of the explosion? Now, with this new development, Rama understood what had disturbed Cassandra. She then paused for a moment. Gulping a bit of air and clenching her fists tight near her side, the girl dipped into her own ninjitsu for self-control.

As she turned away from her shop, Cassandra immediately saw the affect the news had had on the young kunoichi. She laid a gentle hand on her arm and softly remarked, "Whatever did happen, Rama, I doubt very much it was an accident. You can be sure that his brothers will be looking into it." Then, she led the girl across the street to her car and unlocked it, gesturing for Ramiela to get in.

Rama obeyed, stiff with uncertainty. She numbly slipped down into the passenger seat as Cassandra entered the car from the opposite side. After she shut her door, the girl glanced at Cassie, one eye ridge cocked in concern, "Are you sure you're up to driving? You still look pretty shook up."

Cassandra closed her door and gave Rama a faint smile, "I'll manage," and then she started up her car.

A few minutes later, while Cassie drove down Highway One, Rama sighed as she peered out the passenger window. Deep in her own thoughts, she watched the waves roll in from the Pacific as they crashed along the coastline. The spray of water shot up and over the rocks below, glistening as the west bound sun illuminated the millions of drops within the waves. Any other time, Rama would have been awestruck. However, all she could do now was to keep silent as she tried to make sense of the disturbing news.

Other than back in New York, there really hadn't been enough time to get to know Don very well. Most of the opportunities that could have been spent doing so were exhausted in conflict. Rama regretted that most of all. Although it was partly Don's fault, there was a good amount of blame on her shoulders, too. As she thought about it, her stubbornness and his manipulating her was probably a bad combination all the way around. Just the same, he was far more imposing to her than her own Uncle Donatello was; that much she knew.

Just before Don left for Japan, she had seen a softer side to him which had surprised her. Considering what had transpired beforehand, she was quite grateful for it, in fact. It gave hint to his more gentle nature. It was this that she was now dwelling on. _"I may have lost a chance to connect with him, to make amends and to show my true self," _she lamented sadly She heartened just a little, though, when she realized that her uncle was alive and well in her world; at least, she hoped so. It was an encouraging thought for her that, when she returned to her family, Uncle Donatello would still be there to greet her.

However, she then considered the possibility of not ever returning to her world. If her failed attempt to transport to the garden the other day was any indication, then it was a sobering one at that. It made it all perfectly clear to her. "_If I am forced to stay here, then if Don did die in that blast it will be as if my own Uncle Donatello had died." _She shuddered involuntarily with the enormity of the possible grief to come.

Quite honestly, Rama didn't want to even consider Don not being a part of this world.

She sniffed morosely as she began to reminisce about her own uncle. Out of all of them, he had seemed to be the most aloof and distant. Even as a child, she found him hard to understand. Where she wasn't allowed into his lab area, it seemed as if he deliberately pushed her away. Of course, he was concerned and rightly so, that she would get into things that would be dangerous for her. As it was, her genius uncle only emerged from his lab to play with her on rare occasions and only for short periods, before returning to his room. Dubbed 'The Absent Minded Professor' by her father, her Uncle Donatello was usually too distracted where his mind was always on a numerous projects that were on-going. It seemed that he only laughed and had fun when he was at the farm. Rama couldn't forget all the years when he schooled her, either. She smiled a bit as she thought about how hard she tried to bring a measure of fun into her lessons, attempting to loosen him up a bit so that her learning wouldn't be so boring. Now, she wished she had paid more attention; at the very least and by those means alone, to show him honor and respect.

While Rama sat silent and reflective in the passenger seat, Cassandra briefly looked over at her. Returning her focus to the road ahead, the woman could only imagine how this young kunoichi might be feeling. Knowing that Don and his brothers were twins to Rama's family, to lose any of them here could only deeply affect the girl. As it was, she herself had her own thoughts about such matters, except that, for her, there wasn't the convenience of a twin. This was her world and, if what Mike had shared with her early on, the Donatello of Rama's life was already married and with kids, no less. So, for the moment, she had her own emotions to get under control as she piloted the car along the road. After a while, she finally turned to look at Rama, "Thinking of your own Uncle?"

Rama mumbled as her feelings began to peak a little, "Yeah." She sniffed before adding, "We never got along that well, though." She turned away to stare back out of the window at the coastline once more.

Cassandra stared straight ahead again as she drove the car along the highway. She smiled, recalling what Mike had said about how Rama. How she had challenged all of them on the way out to California and then after she first arrived. Turning to look at the girl again and arching an eye brow, she offered, "Well, just so you know, Don isn't that hard to get along with; so long as you don't play games, that is."

Shrugging, Rama commented, "Well, he asked for that. But, as far as what he's really like, I don't know much about that. We didn't give each other a chance to get to know one another." Looking back at the scenery, she shared, "As far as my Uncle Donatello is concerned, we weren't that close either. When I was a kid he was always the one to give shots and he was also my teacher. I kind of found him a bit boring, actually. No matter how much I tried to get him to lighten up, though, he just seemed determined to bury me under mountains of school-work." Rama then turned back to look at Cassie, "'Course, I probably wasn't the easiest kid to teach either. My uncle said that after teaching me, he could teach any child."

Cassandra laughed a little as she glanced over at her passenger again, "You couldn't have been that bad, Ramiela."

Rama turned to look at her with widening eyes, "Trust me, I was! Probably worse than that, even." She looked straight ahead at the road as she shared, "I mean, it's obvious someone told you how I was on the jet and then when I first got here. I didn't get that way over night, ya know." She then grinned as she recalled some of her antics.

Then, she shrugged. Recalling how Mike had relayed the information to Cassandra first, she sighed quietly, "Cassandra, I know you're a part of the family, but why did Mike tell you yet not say a word to me about Don?" She quickly noted a deep sadness from Cassandra and so she retracted it, shaking her head, "Forget it, you don't have to tell me. I just thought it was kind of odd, is all. I mean – sure, I don't really know Don of this world that well" Rama admitted. "Yet, it seems strange they would keep that from me when they've been trying hard to convince me that I'm part of the family and everything."

Cassandra looked her way for a moment before admitting, "Rama, I can't say why Mike didn't mention this situation to you first. You'll just have to ask him." She then paused for a moment, looking back towards the road again. While watching the highway ahead, she remarked, "I suppose no one's informed you that Don and I were dating?"

Rama was stunned. She gaped at Cassandra in surprise and shook her head 'no'. Devon hadn't even hinted at it. Not even within the last few days. Until now, the only connection she thought that Cassie had with the clan was through Gabby. Belatedly, Ramiela suddenly realized that when she had trashed the Musical Note, she had effectively brought the entire family against her. For if Don was interested in this woman, it also meant that Cassie had a double connection to the clan.

Rama gulped as she looked nervously at Cassandra "Are you two, like – um - serious?"

"As a matter of fact, we are – although I've done my best to keep that fact from Don." Cassandra chuckled softly and then swallowed as she fought for control. She sniffed a bit and stated, "He's not easily refused, just to let you know. He pursued me for almost two years before I would finally go out with him." Smiling, she added, "Early on he was quite the persistent suitor, which, to be honest, rather annoyed me."

Rama smiled, not quite able to help herself, and so she asked, "Why? I would think that with how wealthy he is and that he's ninja, Don would be the perfect boyfriend for you."

Cassis huffed just a little, "For one thing, Ramiela, money doesn't interest me. I've had money, in fact, I still have it, and so far it's only a convenience and nothing more. It pays the bills and that's all it does. If Don were here…." She checked herself again just thinking about that thought, but continued on after she swallowed back her emotions, "Well, he would tell you that money can oftentimes bring to your doorstep the worse society can offer. As far as ninja is concerned, I figured if he's as good as he's supposed to be, then his patience should be endless. At the very least, he'd have to prove that fact to me in order to get my attention."

"Did he?" Rama asked cheekily. She was rather amused that the very same Don Tello, the one who was her antagonist in this world, would be refused for so long without losing his patience completely.

"Hmm…yes and no. He's made mistakes, breaking into my shop was one of them, but – I eventually forgave him." Cassie explained as she gave Rama a sideways glance and a grin to match.

"He broke into your shop?" The girl was shocked, but then she remembered how willing he was to drug and then manipulate her, so maybe it wasn't so hard to believe.

"Well, his intent was to bestow me with gifts, like flowers and jewelry. Unfortunately, I had a premonition type dream that went wrong in a hurry. To make a long story short, after screaming myself awake I caught him in the act. I sort of 'decked' him! Looking back on it, though, I have to say it was all pretty funny. But at the time I was royally ticked off at him." She chuckled somewhat at the memory of the nervous grin Don had on his face when he owned up to his 'misdeeds'. Of course, remembering setting Don down on his tail only added to her enjoyment.

"But you forgave him, right. I mean, you just said you were dating." Rama asked and smiled. She thought this bit of Don and Cassandra history quite amusing and entertaining. It certainly helped to distract from the deep sadness she had been feeling since leaving Carmel.

"Yes," Cassie replied and then she went on to explain, "In fact, we usually have a standing agreement that whenever Don is town, we go out to dinner someplace. We didn't on the last stop-over when he brought you to Mike's, but normally we would have."

Suddenly, a very large wave of guilt washed over the girl as the full impact of what Cassandra shared hit her. Had Rama not been such a pain in the tail to Don when she first arrived at Mikes, and had she not caused all the trouble she did, he would have found time to see Cassie before leaving for Japan. Still, she did her best to remember the woman's kind words of advice about moving on. Although Rama now knew that Cassandra had forgiven her, forgiving herself was something else entirely.

Sensing the kunoichi's plummeting mood, Cassandra gave her a strict look. With a voice now stern and authoritative, she admonished, "Remember, it's behind you so I'll have none of that guilt-tripping, okay?"

"Yep" Rama agreed half-heartedly.

"Don't just 'yep' me, Miss Ramiela!" Cassie scolded, allowing a faint smile. Then in a reflective manner she commented, "I believe the only interest Don had in me initially, other than my background, was the fact that I had told him 'no'."

Rama shook her head and chuckled, "I get the impression that not many people tell Don 'no'."

Huffing a little in amusement, Cassandra remarked, "Consider this – he's rich, influential, and nearly impossible to get at…" She paused, again and realized that someone might have finally done what had been believed impossible. Then, shaking the feelings of impending grief away, she continued, "Don was just too used to getting his own way, even with his family. When you have what he has at your fingertips, the word 'Yes' becomes all too familiar to you." Smirking, Cassie remarked, "Basically, I didn't want to be his next conquest. So, I just kept saying no. If anything, I rather enjoyed seeing the frustrated look on his face."

"What changed your mind?" Rama asked.

"Raph." Sniffing in indignation, Cassandra remarked, "He told me that if I was only the next _mountain_ to climb, Don wouldn't have bothered for so long. He knows when to let go. Seems Don didn't want to let go of me and if I didn't start saying yes to a date or two, Raph threatened to start pursuing me!" She laughed then, unable to refrain from doing so, "I have to admit, I felt rather cornered about then."

Rama looked at her and shook her head, "But didn't you almost kill him once?"

"Yep and I can only assume that threatening to date me was his way of rebuttal. I can't imagine going out with the one I almost dissed." She laughed then, allowing the mood and giving her a moment of reprieve with how she was feeling inside.

Rama joined in with her and then the two finally settled back to finish the rest of the drive in quiet contemplation. Neither of them said much more for the remainder of the trip. Once they were well on their way along the private road that led to the main house from the highway, they both tensed up. It was perfectly obvious they were expecting bad news once they arrived.

After Cassie had parked her car in the carport and as the two of them entered the home, it was easy to feel the weight of sadness and uncertainty. The instant they passed through the door, the somber mood almost seemed to wrap itself around them in a stranglehold.

The entire clan was waiting in the family room and, as soon as she saw him, Rama walked over and sat down next to Devon on the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her gently, not having to say anything since it was pretty obvious it wasn't necessary. They looked into each others eyes and it was then that Rama felt the deepest despair she had ever sensed from Devon. Gone was his cocky, self assured attitude; replaced instead with uncertainty and sadness.

Leo immediately went over to talk with Cassandra, his voice soft and comforting. Though his words were undetectable to Rama, it was obvious Cassie could hear him. A single tear traced down her right cheek. She then allowed him to embrace her in a hug and then they quietly talked. It was obvious by Rama's observation that Cassie's place within the clan was solid and accepted, almost as if there was more to her relationship with Don than she had initially admitted earlier.

_"Serious meant engagement didn't it?"_ Ramiela asked herself, _"Or, maybe they're just dating 'seriously'?"_ Either way, she turned her focus on her own beloved, allowing Devon to pull her close to him. Resting her head on his shoulder, she sought and yet, at the same time, offered what comfort she could.

Even Jordan and Mindy, tended to by their parents, were relatively quiet, as if the depressing mood of the room was effecting them as well.

"We haven't heard anything else, yet." Mike muttered solemnly. He drummed his fingers along the top of the phone, which sat on the end table next to where he stood. It was quite apparent that he was too tense to sit down, if his nervous tapping was an indication. He then said as he directed his words to Cassie, "Thomas called while you were in route. He said that the forensics team is still trying to sift through all the debris. They're almost done, but considering Don's notoriety, they want to be absolutely certain." He sighed and then shrugged as he added, "We should be hearing from them pretty soon, though. I've already called Gaele, so she's heading on out as soon as she can close down the lab."

Rama's attention snapped to clarity. If Mike was calling his daughter back home and all the way from Connecticut, it was a sure fire bet that he expected the worse. She sighed and held onto Devon a little tighter.

Then, Rama looked over the rest of the clan. She noted that both Gabby and Rahab's eyes were reddened, as if they had already done a good deal of crying. Jordan was resting quietly against his mother in her embrace as he nursed under a blanket, while Seth held onto an unusually docile Mindy. It was obvious the mood of the room had affected the little girl, where her normally loquacious personality was now subdued. She squirmed a few times, sucking her thumb, but allowed her father to hold her nonetheless. In fact, he seemed to be holding her so desperately it was almost as if she were a security blanket for him. Seth's own expression was strained and full of worry, which pretty much matched the way everyone else looked, as far as Rama was concerned.

Even Raph, who was standing tense like Mike, seemed pensive as he stood by the fireplace. It seemed to be his favorite spot in the family room, in fact. Rama could see him work his jaw as he held in check his concern and worry. However, she couldn't help but sense an undercurrent of anger from him as it roiled within his tightly held self-control. In that moment, she saw the difference between him and her Uncle Raphael. Her uncle would have been out the lair to find out who the perpetrators were, not resting until he confirmed the worse and then made sure that someone was brought to justice. Yet, here in this world, Raph was biding his time until enough information came in. It was an interesting contrast for her.

Riahna stood next to Raph, his position as her favorite uncle well defined as she leaned into him for support. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder as he gave what encouragement he could to her.

A few minutes later, a loud ring from the phone jarred everyone to attention. The family tensed up almost instantly as they all glared at the device. Uneasily, as if by picking it up would confirm his worse fears, Mike lifted the receiver. Tentatively, he placed the phone to his ear, while Jordan began crying. He pulled away from his mother as if having a foreknowledge of what news awaited them. Obviously, the infant was too young for such things, but then the way everyone was feeling, it almost seemed like it. To quiet him, Gabby scooped him up over her shoulder to burp him and to pat his back in comfort. Once he settled down, the silence that followed seemed deafening.

They waited anxiously. Those who were capable reached out with their senses to assess Mike's emotions and offer a silent show of support to him. After a few brief moments, Rama felt Devon squeeze her tighter as Mike finally hung up the phone. In that moment, she could feel her beloved's mood plummet.

Mike stared at the phone for a long pregnant moment, swallowing and trying to grab what control he could. Then, squeezing his eyes shut for just a second and taking a deep breath, he opened them again and looked up. Mike glanced around at each member of his clan. He came lastly to Rama, holding his gaze on hers as if by that measure alone he was including her in the family. Then, with tears in his eyes and with a voice near to breaking, he confirmed what the family had feared the most.

"Don _was_ in his room. They – found him there. It's official; he's…" Mike sighed and then gulped, choking back a sob, "he's dead!"

Rama had never felt or heard such grieve as she did in that moment. It seemed as if everyone's world had come crashing down around them. Life in the clan, as they knew it, had changed forever.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Danceingfae_**_: Aw, well maybe better luck next time and maybe... As you said wait and see. Yes Rama is learning more about Cassie. Why such a cliffy? Because we are nearing the end of this story it is to be expected. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Teddybear888_**_: Only a few days have been skipped as we didn't want to get bogged down and slow the momentum of the story too much. Yes Leo can find wonderful ways to get people over their fears, personally I'm glad I don't know him. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: I think you have mentioned it. Oh dear looks like I must cancel my vacation. No just kidding as my next vacation isn't until January. Leo's punishments are like Rama's jokes neverending. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Do you really want to know? Course by now you do know. The definition of the acronym F.I.N.E used for Raph is fed up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. You got the trouble part right though. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TBReader_**_: Okay here is your update. Can we see your story huh? HUH? I know our update might not be what you want just bear with us. At least it is here. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TBREADER: _**_Cruel? How can you say we're cruel; just because we leave everyone gasping for the next chapter? Mwahahaha! Well, we're certainly having a great time for sure! :0) Sorry that you're not! LOL As far as who, what, when, or where, guess you know by now. Don't despair, though, okay? Keep the faith and keep reading. If you don't, you'll be disappointed. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA:_**_ Hmm…you know by know what actually happened, so I won't go into it here. As for what Leo did to Rama, yes he actually tied her up and then left her! By herself. Alone. In the dojo. And – she was prohibited from freeing herself. Yes, we do know how to torture our OC's, but we also – as you have just found out – know how to torture our readers! :0) However, stay tuned, don't change that channel, there's more to come – you can be certain of that! As for Raph's definition of FINE – glad Ramica knew 'cuz I was totally stumped. Typical Raph comment, too. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC: _**_Now, why would we want to let anyone know who was hurt at the very end of chapter 47? It would ruin the suspense for 48. The trick to bringing readers back is to dangle that 'carrot' just beyond their reach. Believe me, for myself it was a hard thing to learn to do – I 'so' wanted my readers to be on the same page as I was. However, I learned early on that it's like a death sentence to give out TOO much information. Speaking of 'death', you need to keep on keeping on with this story. Do not stop reading now, regardless of what you're feeling. As for Leo, yes in deedee, he certainly does know how to tackle fears. As Ramica mentioned in one of her comments, glad he doesn't know me. Glad he's just the figment of my imagination. Glad he's where he is. Glad you read and reviewed! Be blessed._

**_TEDDYBEAR888_**_: Ah, yes, I'm sure Ramica and I will be on everyone's hit list by now. However, you all need to keep reading – pretty please? Trust us on this one. Glad you liked the time-skip. Given the fact that this story is racing towards 60 chapters, not that we want it that long, we felt it best to gloss over some things. Already we've dragged some aspects out, but then again we felt it necessary to do in order to give a foundation for certain things re: Rama's behavior, etc… Yes, Ramica and I both wanted Cassie to be that missing piece in Rama's life, the piece her mother should have been but wasn't. Maybe for some it seemed too convenient, but then when I originally crafted Cassandra back in YD, I was clueless that Shay's given name was Cassandra. You know, when things sort of naturally set themselves up like that, you need to take advantage of it. So, that's what we did. I'm rather pleased with how that chapter turned out, in fact. Having Gabby run away is part of her personality; it's something she's inclined to do when she's between that proverbial rock and a hard place. She is still trying to acclimate herself into a ninja family, so it's a given some aspects to that lifestyle will come into conflict with her. Glad you enjoyed her 'run'! :0) Leo is certainly creative, that much is certain. Well, please cross your fingers and pray a little, because where we had like 6 chapters backlogged, we're now with only 1. I'm getting a bit nervous, to be honest. I rather enjoyed the security of having so many already written and ready to go. Ah well, with co-writing, especially with Ramica, there's always someone who's thinking of something! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Ah, bummer – I was so hoping we could spring an on-line baby shower for ya! :0) Well, keep us posted, nonetheless, 'kay? Yeah, we enjoyed doing that chapter. Insight gives depth to any story – in my humble opinion. Fair? Who says we have to be fair? This is fiction, right? Anything can happen, anything at all…remember that! Ow, that must hurt – all those pins and needles. Hmm....as for your request, we can't promise a thing, so you're just gonna have to keep reading and hoping and wishing…yada yada. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	49. Contemplation

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Yeppers, still turtle-less as far as the mutant, ninja weapon wielding variety is concerned. As for ideas, Ramica and I are still trying to crank them out. Expect updates at a rate of one per week from here on out – unless we become overly productive. _

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**CHAPTER 49 - Contemplation**

Rama tried to relax as she waited in the family room. The rest of the clan had gone to pack in preparation for the flight to Japan. She had wanted to accompany Devon to his room while he filled his suitcase. However, Leo forbade either of them to spend any time alone together in that capacity.

"Considering what almost happened in there…" Leo admonished curtly. He smirked a little despite his own sadness, but stayed steadfast in his opinion and request. Consequently, he told Rama to stay downstairs until the rest of the clan was ready.

Cassandra was unable to go along with the rest of them where she was expecting a shipment at the shop the following day. Where it was already in route, it was impossible to stall delivery, consequently she was forced to stay behind. However, she had promised the family that once she had her merchandize firmly ensconced into her shop, she would meet them at Leo's Ryu, where they would conduct Don's funeral services.

Earlier, Raph had complained, not the least bit willing to believe the unbelievable, "I still say _we_ should verify it's him before mak'n plans to bury'em,"

Everyone seemed to stop at his words, wondering and hopeful, as if maybe by denying it, the facts themselves would change.

All Mike could do in response was to sadly shake his head, "I doubt very much Thomas would have given us that kind of news, Raph, if he wasn't sure of the forensic team's results." Grumbling as he trudged up the stairs towards his own room, "As if any of us would dare make such a claim without being one hundred and ten percent certain."

As Raph retreated into the den and with a voice that seemed uncharacteristically hallow, Rama had heard him say, "Jus' can't believe he's gone, s'all." She looked long at the door after he closed it, sensing a great sadness sweep over him and one that he was sheltering away from the rest of the clan. As was true regarding her own Uncle Raphael, the Raph of this world wasn't any different where deep emotions were concerned. Both seemed unwilling to share such grief with others.

Now, she was alone, by herself and with her own thoughts as she sat on the couch to wait. She didn't have much at all to pack where she was virtually without any needs. She had quit wearing her facemask early on since nobody else in the family wore them. So went her elbow and knee pads as well. Here in this world, the likelihood of finding herself in battle was nil to none, so a 'uniform' was unnecessary. Certainly the way the police behaved around them back at the park in San Jose proved that the mutant family was well known and accepted.

Yet as Ramiela sat there on the couch, she thought a great deal about the flight to Japan.

Already, with the news of Don's passing only two hours old, she had acquainted herself with this fact and had accepted it. Although it was still a shock, it seemed pointless to dwell on it. Her biggest concern for the moment was the thought of getting back onto a plane. Regardless of how adjusted she was with the family, she was still adamant against flying. _"Just doesn't seem natural,"_ She moaned to herself. Still, she had to admit to a slight spark of interest about traveling to Japan. With it being the one-time home of Master Splinter and his Master Yoshi, the island nation was steep with the history of ninja and their clans. Rama couldn't deny that it would be very interesting in deed to go there and to see a bit of that country for herself.

Yet, between her interest of going and her fear of getting back on a plane, Rama found her emotions in turmoil. Both kept building up on each other, the anxiety it created forming a knot in the pit of her stomach.

She recalled well her words to Don about her first time on a plane after he acknowledged that fact. As far as she was concerned at the time, it was going to be her only flight, "…not first as in first of many, not even first as in before the second one…" Yes, she was clearly defiant and, as she remembered, quite afraid. Although she would not have admitted that fact to Don at the time, not even under threat of death!

Finally, unable to sit still any longer, Rama decided that what she needed to do was to vent her anxieties.

Forty minutes later, she was well into her routine down in the dojo as she flew through her favorite katas. Suddenly, she felt a presence. Looking over at the stairwell, she saw Devon. "Hi," He said softly as he stepped off onto the floor, "Working off some frustration?"

Smirking as she brought the double katana down to her side, Rama replied, "No, just anxiety is all. Felt like the right thing to do." Deciding she was done, she walked over to the storage cabinet to return the blades to their scabbards. Rama then turned back towards Devon, "So, is everyone ready?"

"No, not yet. Gaele won't be landing for another four hours. Mike wants to her to fly out with us, so we won't be leaving for another two. Wanna spar a bit?" Devon could sense a mounting apprehension in Rama, figuring she was a bit anxious about flying again.

"No, I think I'm fine – unless you want to?" she offered.

"Would prefer to do something else," he smiled at her.Rama caught his meaning and gave a small smile at that, but then Devon shook his head, "but given all that's happened so far…" his voice trailed off as the weight of his uncle's death pressed against him once again. Rama went over to him and then wrapped her arms around him. As she laid her head against Devon's shoulder, she heard him say, "Still can't believe it, Rama. I mean, NO one can get to Don; he's virtually impossible to touch. How anyone could…" and then it seemed as if his voice choked off. Ramiela shuddered herself as she sensed Devon begin to lose control. "We're not as safe as we'd like to believe, I'm afraid." He strangled out as he held onto her, determined not to cry but unable to battle against the tidal wave of grief that swam over him. He then did something that he had not done in years; he wept. His saving grace was that he did so in the arms of Rama and out of sight from the rest of his family. All she could do was hold onto him and offer quiet support while she held at bay her own rising emotions. In the end, however, they both cried. They clung to each other as they expressed the grief that had been building up since they learned the news of Don's death.

Hours later, Rama found herself fidgeting once again. This time, she was sitting next to Devon in the reception room of Don's terminal at San Jose International.On the way in, Rama had asked a few questions of what to do in case of an emergency. The simple fact that someone had managed to get to Don told her that the plane might not be safe itself and she desperately wanted to be prepared. Currently, they were waiting for Gaele's jet to set down, which would be happening soon where only minutes earlier they had been told that she had entered California airspace. Devon held onto Rama's hand with a firm grip and by that measure alone, gave her a strong show of support. Just about everyone in the clan was now aware of her abject fear of flying, though. That is if her vocalized concerns in route from Big Sur about the jet having its annual 'tune-up' and 'oil change' was any indication. Of course, this only brought recollected memories of her first initial flight experience to Mike and Raph.

Despite his grief, Raph asked her as he snickered, "Hey, Rama, want some tea? Might do ya good!"

With only a glaring look, words were unnecessary from her as to what he could do with that comment. Mike could not help but chuckle himself, despite the solemn reason for their flight. "Just remember, Rama, Don's planes are the best. Even safer than the car we drove in."

Looking at him somewhat surprised, she declared, "Glad you told me now, otherwise, I would never have left the house!" She shook her head, "Can't see why we don't take a boat. At least if it sank - I could swim!"

Devon wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "Mike's right, Rama. The 737 is a big plane with lots of room and the crew always triple checks it for flight integrity."

"Doesn't matter; flying is just wrong, plain and simple." She sighed, "I told Don, and I stand by it, if turtles were meant to fly we would have been born with wings." She then rested her head against his, muttering, "If we do go down, though, I want it to happen while I'm meditating."

Chuckling at her comment, Devon asked, "And why is that?"

"Because," Rama explained cheekily, "That way I might be able to teleport off, where it seems to take a strong emotional response to get me to do it in the first place. I can't think of a stronger emotion than thinking I'm about to die."

Devon laughed a little and could not resist, "Promise to take me with you?"

"Only if you find a better way to get to Japan." She teased.

"Looks like I'm toast then." He hugged her and kissed her snout, "Honestly though, we'll be fine – Promise."

"Yeah, well, maybe Raph's tea offer wasn't such a bad one after all," the girl sighed.

Devon chuckled a bit at her remark, commenting, "You know you can't die yet. After all I still have a certain promise to keep with you." As he arched his eye ridges a bit at her, Rama tried her best not to giggle. Unfortunately she lost the battle. She ducked her head and looked away as she blushed. Despite the solemn reason for being where she was, she couldn't help but smile a little. Devon sensed her embarrassment and gently hugged her with one arm, allowing the faintest of grins to crease his muzzle as well.

As Rama thought about her one and only experience with flying, she took a deep breath. She recalled that, other than being drugged, nothing bad had actually happened on the way out to California from New York. Perhaps, just like being out in the open, she was making a bigger deal of this than necessary. _"Maybe I need to start putting into practice that 'trust' thing Leo's been trying to teach me." _Shaking her head, she relented, _"Guess it's going to happen one way or the other; better get on with it and just let my insecurities go."_

A few minutes later, a tearful Gaele arrived at Don's terminal. When the hostess announced their daughter's arrival, Mike and Rahab went out to greet their daughter. As she came through the double glass doors from the tarmac, it was quite plain to see that she was distraught with the news of her uncle's sudden demise. With her eyes red from crying, she tried to speak, sounding quite choked up, "Oh, Mom, Dad, this is just so awful" Gaele sobbed.

Mike and Rahab quickly grabbed her up in a joint hug, tightly embracing her as they cried, too, whispering encouraging words to her. Gaele shuddered a bit and allowed them to console her, giving back to them as best she could. Then, taking a deep breath, she turned and sniffed a little bit as she wiped an errant tear from her eye. As she gazed around at the rest of the family, it was easy to sense that everyone seemed emotionally subdued as she was.

All of them were still clearly in shock from the news. Gaele gave a small trembling smile as she moved over to greet the rest of her family. Her other two uncles stood up from their seats and met her partway, offering her hugs and loving words. Although what he said exactly was hard to discern, Raph cupped Gaele's face and seemed to be assuring her of something. His voice rumbled low and soft, but as Rama watched the two she felt an undercurrent of anger seething just below the surface as he talked with his niece. It was quite apparent to her that her uncle's twin was already planning on some sort of rebuttal, once they discovered who had done the deed. Rama saw Gaele nod her head and then noticed a flash of the same anger spark on her face.

After Raph and Leo finished talking with her, Gaele's eyes came to rest on Jordan, who was sleeping soundly in Gabby's arms. She smiled a little as she caught her sister-in-law's subdued gaze. She was fully aware of the problems her brother's wife had caused the family recently but yet she also knew that Gabby had developed a fondness for Don herself. Then, Mike's daughter noticed Seth holding Mindy, with the almost four-year old nattering on about 'takin' a pane ride t'Jappan'. It pained Gaele to know that her uncle would never see the toddler grow up and, even worse, that Mindy would never have the opportunity to reap the wisdom that Don so freely offered.

"Now that everyone is finally here, we might as well get onboard." Leo declared. He cast a wary eye over towards Rama, catching her gaze and giving her a slight challenge with his own expression.

Rama, now accustomed to not overreacting around Leo, took a couple of deep breaths as Devon squeezed her hand. "Suddenly, I wish I really could pull off that meditating thing because then I would just meet you in Japan instead of flying there by jet," she muttered half jokingly.

"Well, we certainly won't have to worry about any other form of entertainment if you provide us the fun you did last time you flew." Raph couldn't resist ribbing Rama just a little bit.

Rama smirked, "Partly your fault, ya know. So you can't blame me for all of that."

A few minutes later, they were all aboard and soon the jet was backing out of and away from Don's terminal. Rama had only experienced landing, which had been frightening enough. Without something to compare it to, unbeknownst to her, take-off would prove a whole different ball game all the way around.

It took a few minutes for the jet to arrive at its departure point. Rama was casually leaning forward as she looked out the window. Her breathing exercises from earlier had helped a little bit to calm her down and now she was trying to distract herself by observing the busyness of the airport. She had watched and sensed the other clan members' reaction. Except for a bit of trepidation in Gabby and anticipated excitement in Mindy, most were feeling more remorse over the reason for their trip than anxiety. It was obvious that none had any concerns about flying. Still, there had been a good fifteen minutes from the time they had pulled away from the terminal to where they were currently; just enough time for Rama to get mind off her fear.

Then, the next set of events took her by complete surprise.

First, the gentle whine of the engines roared to life with a thundering explosion. Rama's eyes went wide. It vibrated the fuselage enough to alert her that something else was about to happen. However, before she could even prepare for it though, in the next moment she found her self slammed hard against her seat. The same jet engines, now louder than anything she had ever heard before, were now dramatically pushing the vehicle towards take-off speed with surprising velocity. With her eyes wide and her mouth slightly ajar from shock, she chanced a frantic look out the porthole window. She quickly noticed the ever increasing speed at which they traveled down the tarmac. Never in her life had she ever moved so fast. Landing was certainly a lot slower than taking off, that much she was sure of! Yet, with each passing second, it seemed as if the jet was doubling its speed! She wanted to cry out in surprise, but, as she caught Leo looking at her, she held herself in check. However, she couldn't help her expression; not one bit. Just as she looked back towards the window, she barely caught the faintest of smiles from her sensei.

Yet, before she could scowl to herself and complain about Leo's obvious enjoyment of her situation, Ramiela felt the sudden lift of the jet as it nosed its way skyward. That alone only increased the pressure against her and deepened her all the more into her seat. As if that wasn't enough, she then heard and felt at the same time a rather sudden and loud bump.

"**What was that? Did the wheels fall off? What about the wings; are the wings going to fall off next?"** she nearly strangled out.

Leo looked back at her in sudden alarm. Even a rock would have sensed the kunoichi's nearly suffocating fear. He shot a glance at his nephew, who sat next to her, indicating for him to intervene if Rama should chance to bolt. With the jet still climbing upwards towards cruising altitude, now was not the time for the girl to leave her seat.

Devon still had a hold of her hand, but now he switched it to his other hand, while he draped his opposite arm around her shoulders. "Hey, it's okay, Rama; it's just the wheels folding into the bottom of the fuselage. It's normal." He pulled her towards himself to comfort her and she gratefully accepted his embrace.

"Just startled me s'all," she explained haltingly. "Wasn't expecting that." She looked at him, hoping to see at least some reason to be concerned. However, Devon only gazed back with an expression of reassurance.

"You're going to be all right. It's a long flight, almost twelve hours, so you might want to take a nap along the way," he suggested to her. Rama nodded hesitantly and swallowed. "Hey," Devon offered, "no joke, but you might want to seriously consider Leo's tea, 'kay?"

Scowling back at him, Rama replied sharply, "That tea is never a laughing matter with me!" She pouted a bit and looked back out the window once again. Now, she could see the ever decreasing lay of the land thousands of feet below her. As in reverse from when she landed, the buildings, cars and people diminished in size. After only a few seconds, everything below her seemed ant-like in comparison. Moreover, she was amazed with how quickly the jet had made altitude in so short of time. Rama then felt the jet roll to the left just a bit and watched as the wings tipped up. She gripped Devon's hand even more but after a few moments, the wings leveled out again, as did the jet. She could see the earth below once more, only, this time all she saw was water! "Is that - the ocean?" she asked as she pressed her face against the glass window.

"Yep and it's about all you're going to see for the next eight thousand miles, so get used to it!" Raph deadpanned from the seat in front of hers.

Rama narrowed her expression at her uncle's twin and then shrugged. Looking at Devon, she commented, "Twelve hours, eh?" and then sighed. She was definitely going to be up in the air a long time.

The trip from the States to Japan did prove itself to be rather long one. Once she realized that everything was going the way it should and that there weren't anymore 'bumps,' she settled down. A few times during the flight, there were a couple of downdrafts to contend with. The worse one was when she had been napping. Even though Devon assured her that it wasn't that bad, she had to disagree. "Getting woken up by one of those things is not a picnic, just take it from me!" she lamented. However, she had to admit that the overall flight wasn't as bad as she had imagined it. Still Rama felt that no matter how long she was stuck in this world, she would never fully enjoy flying. It was a convenience she could live with out.

Along the way, she discovered that the service and meals on the plane were exceptional. They even enjoyed an in-flight movie, one that she hadn't seen and which allowed her and those who watched it at least two hours of distraction. Rama also noted that the crew was helpful and friendly, yet it was easy to detect the sadness that hung over them. It only proved that Don's death had affected those who worked for him as much as it had his family.

After what seemed like an eternity, the jet finally landed at Kansai International Airport in Osaka. Rama was probably the most thrilled to set her feet back on solid ground once again. Even though the view from the sky had been breathtaking, just getting back on good old terra firma was enough to excite the kunoichi.

Thomas met them at the terminal and had the stretch limo already running by the time the clan had disembarked. The ride to Leo's Ryu was quiet a solemn one as each member considered the inevitable funeral to come.

Still, Rama eagerly had taken in the scenery along the way. She thoroughly enjoyed the view as the limo rode the highways, eventually heading North West for the countryside. As they turned off onto a small narrow strip of road, they were soon climbing in among the gentle hills. They passed through several small villages with each village becoming less populated. Rama was virtually mesmerized by the tranquil beauty of the country. The thick growth of vegetation along the narrow strip of road and further out among the hills bore witness to the lushness of the land. Cherry trees with their vibrant blossoms were in full bloom, which added variegated shades of pink that dotted the green hillsides and valleys.

As they went further up into the mountain terrain, the limo would occasionally cross over bridges which spanned small canyons. Rama could see rushing torrents of water below as the streams cascaded down, heading towards larger rivers and estuaries. Then, when they would come upon a traditional Japanese-style house, her heart would leap. They would remind her of her master and the design on some of his personal effects at home. He had one picture that was clearly in the Japanese style, - yamato-e. The painting showed a cherry blossom branch running diagonal from one side of the silk canvas to the next. In an almost protective way, the branch arched up and over an almost exact replica of the kinds of houses she was now seeing along the countryside. Then a bit of melancholy came over her as she thought of home.

How she wished that she could bring her family here, especially her Master Splinter. She just knew that he would love to live in such a land, out in the country and away from the grim and noise of New York City. Yet, for him in her world, it would be impossible. Living nearly eleven thousand miles away, there wouldn't be a viable method of getting any one of them to Japan without risking exposure. Rama sighed and then turned away from the window. Clearly she was fortunate to be where she was, yet just as clearly it made her realize how sheltered and sequestered her home had been. Understanding that there wasn't much she could do about it, Ramiela focused on the others in the limo. She then decided to meditate a bit to quiet her heart.

Nearly thirty minutes of traveling without seeing another village or even another person along the roadway, they finally arrived at Leo's Ryu. Rama was impressed with the seemingly endless white stucco wall that encircled the property. It ran left and right of them along the gentle slope of hills that were part of the landscape, disappearing into groves of cypress and other vegetation. Each side of the road was lined by a sentry of the large canopy trees, their leafy branches arching majestically towards the roadway, yet not quite covering the path so as to allow a bit of sunlight to seep through. Rama was in awe with the whole appearance of Leo's ryu.

As she took in the protective barrier again, Rama estimated that the wall looked to be at least ten feet tall and maybe even higher, angling inwardly at the top. As she thought about it, she realized that it was thicker at the base, allowing for a stronger buttress against attacks. Though she believed it highly unlikely anything of that nature would happen here, she was intrigued that Leo would want something so formidable. She considered it all very interesting.

By the expanse of the walls and how far they ran, it was obvious to her that the property was huge, maybe as large as Mike's back in the states. Just as they came upon the structure, Rama noticed the unassuming gates. Not a design or an indication of what lay beyond it was advertised in any way. They were simple wooden gates, painted a deep brown, with a crisscross of wood that added stability to their stout construction. Suddenly, as if sensing their arrival, the barriers opened inwardly, allowing the limo to pass through. There were only a few members of the Ryu who witnessed their arrival. Dressed in simple hooded cloaks of yellow silk, all of them bowed low before the vehicle. It was obvious to Rama that they held in high regard the family residing within the car.

Yet, the Ryu's isolation spoke volumes to her about her sensei's need for peace – and privacy, as well as protection. Even if he had forced the issue with her about getting on with humans, it was quite a contradiction to learn how far removed Leo's residence was from the general population. The fact that he had his 'Enlightenment of the Way' reinforced with such barriers as the walls and gates suggested, prompted Rama to think about bringing up that fact with him sometime during her stay. How she would go about it without sounding disrespectful was another matter all together.

Now, with all of them settled within their respective rooms, Rama had to appreciate how peaceful everything was. Prior to arriving at her assigned space, she recalled the walk to the main housing that led through a collection of gardens. Some were lush with greenery and floral beauty while a few others were Zen rock gardens. They mesmerized her with their simplicity. The sand was raked in decorative designs around specifically placed rocks and small boulders. Moss grew along the tops of the rocks and down their side, with an occasional bonsai tree intermixed for diversity. As intrigued as she was with them, they almost suggested that she keep silent out of respect.

Then, just before the path they were on opened up into a courtyard, Rama noticed a collection of koi ponds. They were huge, bigger than anything she had seen in New York, even in Central Park. They had to cross over a small arched foot bridge and as they did, she peered down into the water. Huge adult-sized koi swam lazily under the surface, passing one another in quiet conversation as they traveled the miniature ocean of clear water. As Rama looked up and out across the expanse of the pond, she noted several islands of rock. However, what was upon those rocks caused her to smile. Turtles! Leo had turtles residing in the koi pond; how utterly ironic, she thought to herself. However, these turtles were not the average turtle that she had seen back in New York or even on the farm. These were more colourful and far more interesting. Yes, she would definitely have to come back to this point to visit, once she was settled into her room.

Rama found that her assigned room was a traditional Japanese bedroom, with rice paper walls and a woven mat for a floor covering. A futon, covered in red silk, was situated along one wall with a series of lit candles in graduating heights sitting upon a simple black lacquered coffee table. The candles were new, if the shallow well of melt was any clue; an obvious courtesy that she appreciated very much. She could also discern the subtle scent of sandalwood in the air and, once again, Rama was emotionally transported back to her old master's room. It was one of his favorite scents. She sighed at the memory, but she put it quickly aside before it consumed her.

On the other side of her room and up against the wall in the corner was an elongated pad, wrapped in a simple natural linen cover. A small pillow similarly furnished adorned the top end, indicating that this was where she was to sleep. However, even though she was a bit tired, Rama was quite curious to see as much of the Ryu as she could during her stay – especially the koi pond. Consequently, as soon as it was permissible from Leo, she found herself presently strolling around the outside.

_"It's so very beautiful here," _she sighed lightly to herself, _"I could almost enjoy it except for why we are here to begin with.' _She then smiled, _'It's no wonder why Sensei calls this his home. It suits him very well.'_

The late morning air was cool, almost crisp, where they were sheltered within the hills deep behind Osaka. The higher elevation belied the humidity that the more coastal regions were known for. As Rama breathed in the clean almost pure air, she smiled. Yes, it would be very easy to live here, she thought to herself. So safe, even more so than at Mike's place.

However, someone else seemed to be restless as well. Rama was deep into looking at the koi in the pond as she stood on the apex of the small footbridge. Just as she thought of how serene things were for the moment, she sensed a presence. Instinctively, Rama snapped her head around, yet relaxed in the next moment. It was Gaele. "Oh," Rama laughed a little, "It's you."

Gaele smiled, "Who were you expecting?"

The girl looked back at the water again as she replied, "More like hoping." She sighed some.

"Hoping for Devon, perhaps?" Gaele giggled as she stepped up onto the bridge and smiled at the girl.

Rama couldn't help but blush a little as she turned to faced her once again. She commented, "Well, in a way, yeah, but I was thinking of my master back home and how much he would appreciate all of this." She waved her hand to indicate the pond and the garden area.

"Hmm…yes, it is all very tranquil. However, that's just the surface stuff." Gaele remarked almost contritely.

"Surface? What do you mean by that?" Rama asked as she turned around to face her. A gentle breeze caressed her hair, causing a few of the ends to lift up and into her face a bit. She wiped the errant strands away as she waited for her companion to answer.

Gaele took a deep breath and then sidled up next to the kunoichi. She leaned against the railing with her arms draped along the top before saying, "This is a place of enlightenment, Rama. It's where one comes to learn, to train, to – " she then looked at the girl and then stated simply, "To become fully ninja." Looking back across the expanse of water and towards the rocky outcroppings, she continued, "Living in the states like everyone else does, it's easy to forget what we are. My work consumes me, like it did my Uncle Don, so it's easy to forget my heritage." She worked the inside of her cheek a bit before adding, "I've never spent much time here; in fact it's been at least two decades since I last visited. Leo keeps threatening to have me re-trained, to bring me back to where he thinks I need to be, but Don's always shielded me from it. After he took my gear away, I've never given it a second thought. With the lab and what I'm trying to do there, it's as important to our family and our future as ninjitsu is." She looked at Rama and, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the rest of her thoughts, changed the subject. She then asked as she teased, "So, how are you feeling, now that you're not up in the air anymore?"

Rama thoughtfully considered what Gaele had just shared with her. It was obvious Mike's daughter was somewhat on edge; maybe because now with Don gone, Leo just might follow through with his threat. However, she focused on the question Gaele had just asked her and shrugged, "All right. Geesh! I never thought in my life that I'd ever get a chance to visit Japan." She then confessed, "I just wish I could have seen it under better circumstances."

Gaele nodded, her sadness quite easy to discern. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

The two were quiet for a moment; Rama with her thoughts about home and Gaele with her thoughts about her uncle's passing.

Then Mike's daughter smiled a bit "Hooked up with Devon, I hear."

Rama blushed just a bit and nodded, "Yeah, we did." Looking suddenly at the girl next to her, she became defenseless, "I don't know what the family told you, but don't you believe it okay?"

Gaele smiled, "Okay, but I know my brother, Rama. If he likes you as much as everyone's been telling me, just remember he can be quite a scoundrel!" She laughed lightly but Rama's next comment made her laugh even more.

"It's what I'm hoping for, Gaele." She, too, couldn't help but giggle with her.

From that point on, they talked about the event that had brought them all out to Japan. Both girls teared up once or twice, but after a while, Rama had to comment. As she looked up at the buildings of the Ryu that surrounded them, noting their traditional Japanese architecture, she couldn't help but say, "You know it just seems so hard to accept. I mean where I live, the treat of death is almost like a constant companion. Still, even with that, we have yet to lose anyone in the family." Rama took a couple deep breaths and then said, "But, here, where life seems so much simpler and easier and where you don't have to look over your shoulder all the time, death seems worse for some reason." She sighed, "Maybe because your father and uncles used their wealth to secure your safety, maybe that's why Don's death seems so awful."

Gaele laid an arm across the kunoichi's back and said softly, "Death, no matter the reason or the family it happens to, is always hard, Rama. Don's death wasn't so unexpected for me."

Rama looked at her in shock, "How can you say that?"

"Because," Gaele replied, "As hard as he tried to befriend even his worst enemies, there was always someone who resisted, who hated what they termed as his meddling. Don tried to make the world a safer and more productive place for people, Rama. Yet, there always seemed to be that faction that wanted a part of the world for themselves. They hated him, as a result." She removed her arm from around Rama and looked down at the koi swimming below the bridge where they stood, "Don might have been considered a mogul, but he really preferred a more simplistic life. He loved coming here," She looked around wistfully and swallowed back her emerging grief as she continued, "It gave him a peace that his corporate world and all of his money failed to give him." As she looked away, she ruefully commented, "As much as I wanted to believe that my father and uncles' old enemies were gone, it looks like they're back. I fear what the clan will do to retaliate."

"Foot? You think the Foot did this to Don?" Rama asked in surprise. She had been assured not too long ago by Leo that activity of that magnitude was no longer a viable threat. Had he lied to her?

"That's what Uncle Raph believes. Leo and Mike aren't so sure, though. Uncle Don did a thorough job of cleaning up the organization. Three years ago, there was a resurgence of it in California, but between my uncle and the police, they pretty much shut the operation down. Still…" Gaele looked wistfully up towards a building that lay along a higher elevated section of the pond area, "It's possible, I guess." Nodding to the structure, Gaele added, "That's Don's place, up there. He loved looking out on the koi pond. There's a small waterfall behind his house, right beside a patio on the other side. That is if my memory serves correctly. Like I said, it's been a while since I was last here."

As the two turned away from the pond and walked down the arched bridge, Rama asked, "So, you did the testing and are pretty sure it was Don, huh?"

As Gaele sniffed, she nodded and replied, "Yeah, but I'll be running some more tests to confirm that, just the same. It's so hard to believe, Rama. Don was so careful, so tight about security. Even though I knew he had enemies, I never thought he'd ever go like this." She then sniffed and wiped the back of her hand along her snout.

Rama had to agree and she also knew that the family would cope better once they all had closure. Meanwhile, she decided that she would try to find a way of paying her last respects to Don. With the funeral only two days away, Rama knew she would have plenty of time.

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_With as many reviews as we received for Chapter 48, I – Reinbeauchaser – will let Ramica do the commenting! What? You say I'm lazy? Hmm…well, maybe, but I love her responses, so rather than try to match them and fail miserably, I'm forfeiting my own for hers!_

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Danceingfae_**_: Unfortunatley yes Donny. I hope that doesn't make you cry more now. If it makes you feel any better Don' death is a bit of a surprise to us too but don't lose faith just yet. It is always darkest before the dawn, or is that Don? Hmmm. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lisa15_**_: How serious are Don and Cassie? Reinbeauchaser is going have to field that one. Don was sadly, in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't give up reading yet for while Don's death is a surprise for all there are more surprises coming. Course I can't promise they will be good. Thanks so much for reading. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: If you hide you won't know the ending. Sadly, Don's death is a done deal ( How many times can one say Don's death done deal fast and not stumble, hmmm that is the question.) Yes we killed Don because we are evil and twisted. Correction, I should only speak for myself, okay I am evil and twisted. To leave the story now would be a shame. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic:_**_ When one is dead it is hard to come back. Thanks for the compliment of the well written bit really appreciate that. A funeral of course is coming up so we might get a few tears there. Yes! I am going on vacation, but in January for one week and for the most part I will be staying at home. So it won't change my input into this story or any other story. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Teddybear888_**_: How could we? Uh bomb destroying hotel room. Why? It adds interest. Really kill Don, well it does look that way doesn't it, guess you will have to continue reading to find out for sure though. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Beth_**_: Death, at least the last time I checked, is a one way street. Just keep reading and see how many more twist we can put in this road before it is complete. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TBreader_**_: For how, you know how. As for why? Why not is a good answer. I mean it did seem like a good idea at the time. There are some days I might even pay you to kill Rama._

**_Rama:_**_ Hey! That is it, Ramica, consider our contract void! I'm also going get Uncle Raphael to wail on you and...._

**_Ramica:_**_ I think I should seriously consider changing my address. Don't lose faith now and you know I hear prayer works real good. A gratitude for your insight._


	50. Peace and Balance

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_As always and before, we only own our own, which would be for Ramica – Ramiela, and for Reinbeauchaser – Gabby, Mindy, and Jordan. All others are either Mirage studio employees or the figment of someone else's imagination. Just read and enjoy and if you have the time, leave a comment or two before you close the door. Be blessed._

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**Chapter 50 – Peace and Balance**

Cassie couldn't help but stare at all the beauty the Ryu offered. Leo walked silently beside her as they traversed the path towards the unit of small houses where the rest of the family was staying. She had arrived only a few minutes earlier from Osaka and was noticeably tired. Yet Cassandra seemed somewhat excited where this was the first time she had ever seen Leo's Enlightenment of the Way. "You have a beautiful facility, Leo," she offered softly, "I can see why you prefer living here."

He nodded quietly as they walked along the neatly bordered dirt path. They soon rounded a bend in the walkway around some bushes and which opened up to a wide garden area several acres big. Native birds could be seen flying in among the brush and flowers, disturbing a cluster of butterflies that were there. Next, Cassandra saw several groups of Mimosa trees, some which were gathered near the walkway and offering a momentary bit of shade from the warm afternoon sun. Their pink and white pincushion flowers adorned the fern-like canopy, offering one more spectacle to appreciate. As the two walked under the umbrella of branches and leaves, Leo commented, "The Ryu was something that Splinter had dreamed of while we were still living in New York. Building it was our way of thanking him for taking care of us all of those years. I have to say, though, that Don enjoyed the tranquility, as well." Leo paused before adding, "Many people who come here, do so to heal, including Raphael."

Cassandra nodded and could only comment, "I understand." She knew all too well how Raphael had almost killed Rahab and Seth years ago. She could see how such a place would bring peace and balance to an otherwise haphazard life as her daughter's father once led. She smiled and breathed in the sweet fragrance of the Jasmine scented air. It was easy to feel the harmony that the Ryu's aesthetic qualities offered.

They continued on along the pathway for some time, swallowed up within another prolonged stretch of silence. As cool breezes caressed their faces, Cassie walked awestruck alongside rock gardens and oversized ponds, which were more like small lakes to her. More trees such as the mimosa plus a few Japanese maple and dogwood filled in the landscape like a surrounding wood. An occasional meditation pagoda could be seen, their multi-storied towers rising above the shorter trees. Other buildings, depicting the traditional upturned roof-line, were placed at intervals among the foliage. It was like stepping back in time the way Leo had designed everything. With the sky devoid of clouds, the crystalline blue added a breathtaking compliment to the variegated greens and floral color of the compound.

Finally coming to and stepping along the top of the wooden footbridge, they began to pass over the koi pond which separated the family quarters from the rest of the Ryu. Cassandra stopped for a moment at the top of the bridge and looked out across the water. She noted the schools of koi in the pond and the few turtles that were basking in the noonday sun on a spit of sandy beach. "Rather ironic, Leo, having the garden variety chelonian in your backyard." She couldn't help but chuckle a bit.

"Actually," he offered softly as he joined her at the railing, "They're not so common." He stood there for a moment as he watched them. He went on to explain as he glanced upwards towards the house that overlooked the pond area, "Don wanted the rarest of species here, sort of a compliment to our own uniqueness." Looking back at the beached turtles, he explained, "So, we put three of the most endangered species of terrapins in the garden. The cuora trifasciata or the Chinese three-stripe box turtle, the leucocephalon yuwonoi, otherwise known as the Sulawesi forest turtle, and my favorite, the rafetus swinhoei, whose common name is the Yangtze giant softshell." The words rolled easily off Leo's tongue as if they were his own name. He then added, "All three species are breeding rather well, in fact. The pond is climate controlled since we do get a bit of cool weather now and then. We're sort of a hatchery to help their recovery in the wild." He looked over at the woman and smiled, as he was rather proud of the Ryu's accomplishment, "It's one of Don's favorite achievements."

Cassie sighed as she shook her head, "He had his hands in just about everything, didn't he?" She swallowed deeply as she thought about the good that Don had tried to do. How anyone could fault him or even want to take his life seemed selfish. Well, they'd just have to be evil, that's all there was to it. Remembering her past, though, Cassandra had to include silently, _"Or tragically misguided."_

Gently, Leo took her arm and encouraged her on over the rest of the bridge and down to another dirt footpath. As they neared the closest building, she observed that he had stuck with the traditional style of Japanese architecture throughout his Ryu. She smiled at the upturned ends of the tile roof, the almost paper thin sides of each domicile and the dark wood accents. Each residence was raised on a foundation approximately two to three feet above the ground, with broad steps leading up to the wooden flooring of the main level. Ornate-free doors graced the main threshold of each with windows all around to let in the light of day. Yet, there was an element of modern convenience that was also obvious. She noted the electrical lines leading to each residence that provided some comfort and technology. Cassie smiled and knew that Don probably had a say in that, as well, where he was always so keen on such things.

"Gabby is anxious to see you." Leo said softly, "She's been – dwelling on many things lately."

"I'm sure she has. How have things been going with her?" Cassie asked. It hadn't been that long since the clan had recovered her daughter and Leo had been far too busy with the girl to keep the woman updated.

"Well," Leo replied, "I can still tell that Gabby has a bit of trepidation and resentment about Mindy's training. Despite her repentance, I think if she had been successful at getting away, we would still be trying to find her."

Cassie laughed, "With her double dose of stubbornness she inherited from her father and me, you expected something else from her?"

"No, not at all. Still, she is at least trying to learn from me, that much I can sense. She's been a good student, so far. It's just, well, if Don were here, he would be the one schooling her. Where she's my daughter-in-law, it complicates matters a bit more. Although I may have the authority to force the issue, I'd rather tread softly and carefully – especially considering how well it went when I did push the matter with her." He shook his head ruefully, "Never expected Gabby to do what she did."

Cassie put a hand to his shoulder and assured him, "None of us did, Leo. I plan on talking with her about it, though. Now, I think we all need to focus on other things."

Leo nodded, "Yes, indeed. Tomorrow will be difficult for all of us. Will you be saying anything?"

"Possibly. Depends." Cassandra swallowed. She thought of Don and their relationship, where it was leading to, what she ended up wanting from it. Now that he was gone, so was her one chance for… "But, it's more important for others to speak, so I probably won't. Sometimes less is more."

"Yes, I'm sure Don would agree with you." With that, Leo led her to the second set of houses where Seth and his family were staying and, more importantly, where her daughter, Gabriella, was.

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Cassie looked hard at Gabby. They had just finished a rather intense discussion about her behavior from a week ago, though it was largely one sided with Cassandra doing most of the talking. Much to her relief, it seemed as if what education Leo had implemented so far with Gabriella, was working. She seemed reticent and more willing to listen than to argue. At least that was an improvement. Currently, they were alone in the main living area of their family quarters since Seth had taken Mindy out for a long walk. Jordan had just been put down for a nap, allowing a bit of peace between his mother and grandmother.

Cassandra noted that her daughter was obviously contrite over what she did, although a bit of resentment towards Mindy's training could still be sensed in her. Just the same, the fire Cassie had seen in her daughter the last time she talked with her was subdued considerably. "After a while, Gabriella," she said, "you will see the wisdom of what Mindy will be learning. She's very capable for her age and will adapt easily to what Devon will teach her."

Sighing heavily and with her emotions at their peak, Gabby looked up at her mother with tear-filled eyes and, with a soft voice, said, "I know, mother. But, it's that 'other' aspect to ninjitsu that bothers me. With Don's death, I can feel the rage in my father building up. Seth has told me all about their battles years ago before he was born. I just know they'll include my husband in whatever course of action they decide to take; Devon, too, for that matter." She lowered her gaze once more, as if finding her cuticles more interesting to look at.

Cassie was quiet for a moment as she assessed her daughter's words. She knew all too well the truth to her statement and, from her experience, she knew all too well what that entailed. Nodding, she could only be honest with her, "I cannot lie to you, Gabby. Everyone wants retribution. I know and understand the forgiveness aspect of what you believe because I believe it, too. Yet, these people who did this to Don work outside of the laws and bylaws of government agencies. They do not answer to anyone. Therefore, the rebuttal to their actions needs the same consideration." Cassie winced as she saw her daughter's head snap up to catch her gaze. The fire now burned hotly in her liquid eyes and in that same moment she saw Raphael. Yes, in deed, this daughter of hers certainly had such a heritage. Sighing, the woman remarked, "You can be certain that their first goal is to bring to justice the men responsible for this deed. Don's death has become a known fact to the rest of the world…and I am confident that if it is at all possible, his executioners will be brought to justice to stand trial in a human court of law…"

However, Gabby interrupted her, "That is if the authorities get to them first?"

"No," Cassie corrected, "If it is possible to have them taken alive, Leo will make sure that the authorities will receive them. However, if this was a crime unknown to the rest of the world, that would be different. Then, as was the case when your family battled the Foot, each side would take care of their own. No authorities involved since no trace of such battles would be left behind. Like a vapor, they would vanish – without a trace!" She paused for a moment and then continued, "However, because Don was so well known among government agencies, whatever it is that your father and uncles plan on doing will have to be centered on what is allowed by government laws. So far, from what Leo told me when he picked me up at the airport, things are going slow. Not much in the way of evidence was left at the scene of the explosion."

"Yes, that's what he told us last night." She looked at her mother once more, "Which means that unless things change along that line…"

Cassie finished, "You don't have to worry about your husband going into battle. If there isn't a face to accuse, then there's little any of us can do about it."

"Unless Thomas knows something." Gabby added softly and fearfully.

Cassie looked away and sighed. She knew that Thomas wouldn't stop investigating the death of his employer until he found even the slightest shred of evidence. If Thomas were as capable as Don was, she knew he would find something to identify the ones responsible. Given the nature of his life, she knew it was only a matter of time before Thomas and the rest of the clan figured out who it was that assassinated Don Tello.

Her next task was to get her daughter to understand Ramiela's personal situation. Considering how strongly Gabriella reacted towards the kunoichi's behavior in the Musical Note, it would be her hardest battle of wills yet.

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The rest of the family was deep in sleep as Rama stepped outside her quarters. She looked up and saw the dark blue of the night sky with its generous dusting of stars. She took a deep breath, allowing the crisp coolness of the early morning air to waken her further. Ramiela shivered just a bit as it chilled her, yet she knew that soon the night would give way to dawn as it welcomed the start of new day. Still, she was aware that it was going to be a very long day, especially with the funeral set for the afternoon.

She inhaled again as she walked along and noted the scent of jasmine, which had been heavily planted throughout the residence area of the Ryu. Swallowing the scent, she tuned her ears to the slightest noise as she moved off into the deepest shadows. Maybe it was instinctive, but returning to her old ways for just a bit of time seemed to refresh her. She also knew if she was to face the coming funeral without falling apart, then she would have to be prepared for it. Not wanting to be disturbed, Rama desired to meditate outside and to do so facing the rising sun. She had at least an hour before that would happen, plenty of time to get in a decent amount of contemplation before the radiance of the moon's counterpart warmed her face. It seemed to her to be the perfect answer to gain the strength and focus she needed, as she was still trying to adjust to Don's death.

Rama was surprised that her jet lag wasn't worse that it was. Though she felt a bit more tired than normal, Devon did tell her that flying west was easier to adjust to than flying east. With all that was planned for later on in the day, it was just as well.

The day before, Rama had sensed the rest of the family mired in their own grief and pain. They all seemed to echo the girls' own emotions, but more individually as far as how they reacted. She noted that Raph kept to himself, which wasn't too unusual. At one point during the day, he took a walk that lasted for several hours. Where he went was anyone's guess, but he ended up spending time alone, sitting by the koi pond along its edge. As he sat on the grass, he would stare at the fish for extended periods of time, seemingly transfixed with the water's reflection – and his own grief.

Leo meditated, but Rama thought it interesting that he did so up the hill and on the front porch of Don's residence. Maybe it was to honor him or maybe it gave him a peace to be so close to something that reminded him of his deceased brother. Either way, Rama thought it a fitting gesture overall.

Gaele, Riahna, and Rahab stayed inside, rarely going out and when they did, they clustered close together. It was obvious they needed one another during this difficult time. Occasionally, Mike could be seen walking with them, but many times during the day he would either be up at Don's place to chat with Leo or end up over by where Splinter's home was located.

Seth and his family kept to themselves, except for a walk that he had taken earlier with his daughter. Cassandra had arrived just before then, so Rama figured she had a lot to say to Gabby, which probably prompted the walk that Seth and Mindy took. Still, it appeared to Ramiela that Gabby needed her husband more ever since Leo took her under his wing. Don's death coupled with his niece's own transgressions had taken a toll on her confidence. Yet, it was apparent that despite Seth's anger towards his wife, he loved her deeply enough to give her the support that she seemed to need. Together, with Cassie staying with them, they encouraged each other, tending to their children while they grieved as one.

As for Rama, she and Devon had spent most of the day with each other. He had showed her around the Ryu while tearfully talking about Don. As far as the Ryu was concerned, she was impressed that it was as large if not larger than Mike's property in Big Sur. There wasn't a viable way to see everything in one day, but Devon promised her that they would definitely do so once the service was over and things began to settle down. He expected the family to stay in Japan at least a couple of weeks before heading back to the states, unless Thomas found incriminating evidence that pointed to a culprit. Then, things could speed up quite bit with that.

During their time exploring the compound, Devon renewed his promise to Rama and hinted at something that he had been planning on asking her. He refused to say what it was about, despite her pestering him, only that the time had to be right. Then and only then would he proceed.

Still, over all, each member of the clan were numb with sadness, going through the motions as if on automatic pilot. Nothing seemed to make sense any more. Don had always been the anchor that kept them together, the one who made decisions for the good of the family. Leo might have been jonin, but he was the ninjitsu jonin who guided the clan through his spiritual leading and training. Don, however, was the glue and now it seemed as if the very adhesive that bound them together was losing its bind. As the hours passed by, they all seemed to be drifting along and seemingly without direction.

Rama, who had never lost a loved one before, found she cared little for the emotions and hurt that seemed to come from such an experience. She was angry, upset and longing to reach out but felt at a total loss as to what to say or do. Though the turtles that remained were like her family, they were not her family. They were different and, therefore, she felt uncomfortable going to any of them for comfort – even Leo. If there was a face to this tragedy, someone to blame and to go after, she might have had a better grip on how to feel. Rebuttal seemed to always make it easy in that way. Yet, losing Don and sensing the permanence to it was something that no amount of action could change. No matter how many paid the price for what they did to him – and to the family – the fact would remain the same.

Don was dead and not coming back.

That fact was made more obvious by late the evening before after everyone had eaten dinner in the communal dining room. If any of the family had held out hope that there was a chance for Don to have escaped that horrible blast, those hopes were shattered into a million pieces by Gaele. Despite Thomas's crew going through the debris and verifying that Don had indeed been there, his niece was the one to give final proof that sealed his fate.

She had taken a piece from Don's charred shell and personally took it to his lab in Kyoto for DNA testing. Gaele had left early in the morning and, as she said later, put it through so many tests during the day that she was starting to see cross-eyed. It wasn't that anyone questioned that the shell belonging to Don; it was more as if they needed the results to find closure. Of course, needing any and every bit of evidence would make it that much easier to find out who it was who had done the deed. As a result, the tests only confirmed conclusively who the shell belonged to. Except for a bit of discrepancy, explained away as a probable contaminate from the blast itself, the genetics of the carapace was definitely Donatello's.

Now, Rama heaved a heavy forlorn sigh as she dropped down into the lotus position on the outcropping. She had picked a shelf of rock at the top of a hill and which overlooked the main courtyard to the Ryu. The gate was there below her, as well as the impenetrable wall. In that moment, the wall reminded her of Don; strong, imposing, yet protective and shielding. It was just before his leaving for Japan that she realized his latter two attributes and for that she was grateful. Still, Rama's heart was heavy with grief.

"_Do not stand at my grave and weep for I am not there,"_ she mused to herself. It was something that Seth had shared the night before, an opening verse from a poem that he had read after the evening meal. It was comforting and it seemed to fit his uncle quite well.

_Do not stand at my grave and weep,  
I am not there, I do not sleep._

I am a thousand winds that blow.  
I am the diamond glint on snow.  
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.  
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,  
I am the swift, uplifting rush  
Of quiet birds in circling flight.  
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.  
I am not there, I do not sleep.  
(Do not stand at my grave and cry.  
I am not there, I did not die!)

Had not Splinter, the Master himself, in his better days explain to her about death as if he had wanted to prepare her for what was to come. She had recalled sitting in the Master's room as they played the game of wei-chi with him. She had seen his one arm stretch out, as he reached for her. With a slight shaky hand, his gnarled finger caressed her cheek. It was then that she saw the look of tenderness in his eyes when he spoke, "When I die, do not weep for me, child, it would be selfishness on your part for I am old and my time will have been well spent. Death is inevitable for all of us."

"Not for you Master" she had insisted frantically, denying his words as she feared what they might mean.

He smiled slightly, "Even I can't escape it, Ramiela, nor would I wish to. But let me tell you something. While I may die I will never leave you or leave those I love."

"You'll be gone though" she protested, "You won't be here!" She remembered the panicky feeling she felt. Just thinking about her beloved master dying and being physically absent from their clan caused her alarm.

Splinter gave her a soft admonishing gaze as if he had not been too pleased with her reaction, "Only the shell is gone Ramiela. The soul, the very essence of our being, can never be destroyed. It lives on forever."

She didn't understand it then and she wasn't too sure if she understood it now. Of course that had been long before the Master's mind had become addled and confused about many things. As she recalled before she left her world, the Master's whole existence had seemed to be one of confusion. He couldn't seem to understand why his sons were taller than he thought they ought to be. He often talked to Yoshi, Shen and others that he knew when he lived in Japan as if they were still alive. He also frustrated Aiden numerous times by calling him Leonardo. Death might be welcomed after all to the once strong ninja Master, with his mind betraying him like it was. Still, losing him would affect Rama and her clan deeply, this much she was sure of.

Just the same, the Don of this world had been different. Before his untimely death, he had been mentally sharp and would have had many more years ahead of him. With his numerous businesses and philanthropic organizations, he had so much yet to do and to live for. It made his death seem more of a crime than just dying of old age. Rama sighed once again _"If I could do things over with my Uncle Donatello, I would do them differently. However that might not be possible if I can't get back home. I just might have to move on from here like every one else will be doing." _She shook her head to dispel the unsettling thoughts as she eased into her meditation. She took several deep breaths as she let go of those things that weighed her down. She relaxed and soon, before too long, she had reached a plane of meditation where she finally felt at ease.

By the time the sun had exploded its radiance across the yard and wrapped its golden warmth around the new day, Rama had found her peace.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_Teddybear888_**_: Rama isn't going to trust that tea not after how they got her on the plane to get to California. While scared Rama is a kunoichi and probably with time can learn to adjust to that mode of travel even if she doesn't care for it. We are working on finishing the story and hopefully by the ending the readers will forgive us for killing Don. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Ryu according to my Japanese- English dictionary means Dragon. However I have also seen it in many of my fighting arts books and it is always in regards to martial art schools themselves. So Ryu also means a fighting art school, or near as I can figure it means both. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lisa 15_**_: This chapter gives you more colour to paint with. Now if we told you what was going to happen in the next few chapters then you might not want_

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TEDDYBEAR888:_**_ Goodness, gal, ya'll almost sound like ya'll bin ta Taxas. Ah, that's Texas for anyone wondering. LOL Anyway, sorry about off-ing Don, but we had to. As you said, it is for the good of the story. Yet, don't lose hope, 'kay? Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Wow, we did that to you? Really? Our job is now complete! LOL Well, I wasn't sure if it was too much in the way of descriptions, but it sure was fun. :0) Yes, I guess ryu does have 2 meanings. At least, Ramica confirmed that fact. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_LISA15_**_: Hey, what's a story without angst, right? Glad you liked how we 'painted' Leo's ryu. Hmm…grief is hard to write and still feel the sadness, too. However, I did with this one – cuz Donnie's my fav! :0) We always hurt the ones we love, isn't that how the saying goes? Bwahaha… As for Don and Cassie, have to wait on that one. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	51. A Grief Observed

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Nope, still don't own them; never will, so don't even assume this will change. Just read and, if you're so inclined, leave a review before turning out the lights. Just a little note: This might be a depression chapter - as the other few before have been - but hang in there, readers. You might be glad you did. Be blessed._

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**Chapter 51 – A Grief Observed**

The sun was at high noon as another mournful strike of the gong rang out across the Ryu. It filled to overflowing the open air amphitheatre with its deep baritone sound. Surrounding the amphitheatre were two hundred yellow-cloaked followers of the Way who stood silently in support. One held the gong while another struck it rhythmically for each year that Don had lived. The remaining followers' watched and waited for the solemn event that would take place after the last year of Don's life rang out.

Several feet below them and secured upon a wall near where the family stood, was an urn. It was a simple black vase which contained the ash remains of the turtles' much beloved Master Splinter. His urn, positioned along the low wall, was center point to the floor of the amphitheatre and just above Don's burial site. Both faced eastward as a witness to the rising sun, a perfect tribute to two revered members of the clan.

Bordering Don's memorial, which was a simple slab of green marble, was the clan. On the south side stood Leo, with Seth next to him, then Raphael, Devon and finally Ramiela. Mike and his family stood facing the others on the northern side, with Gabriella and then Cassandra next to her. Thomas stood behind Gabby and Cassie, despite their insistence that he join them. Instead, he offered to hold the baby and mind the toddler, Mindy. Amazingly, the girl was behaving. It seemed as if she had understood the seriousness of the occasion and, thus, was obediently keeping silent. She fidgeted a little, but for the most part remained as still as her family members.

Gabby had fed Jordan earlier, before they had made their way to the burial site. Therefore, he was peacefully asleep in his stroller despite the resonating sound of the gongs. It was determined that all members be present, regardless of age, as a show of honor to their fallen member.

It was what Don would have wanted.

Earlier, they had all born witness to his shell as it was lowered into the ground. It was all that was left of him and it would have proved difficult to incinerate. Therefore, the family chose to have it buried in the traditional western way. Afterwards, each member had tossed in handfuls of dirt, daisies, and a personal note from them while two devotees of The Way waved incense burners across the opening. Once that part of the ceremony was complete, the grave was filled in and the marble stone put in place.

Now, all of them listened with sadness to the reverberating instrument as its sound echoed over the Ryu. Mike stood stoic and silent. His face was hard, yet the way he worked his jaw, it was quite apparent the ceremony was becoming difficult for him.

Riahna, standing between her mother and father, leaned into Mike as he wrapped his arm around her. She wasn't crying, but her eyes were red from all the tears that she had shed earlier. As a tribute to her uncle, she had also prepared the floral arrangements that now encircled the gravesite, the flowers gathered earlier from around the compound.

Rahab and Gaele clutched each other, both overwhelmed with the enormity of the event, while Cassandra embraced her daughter, Gabby. The four women stood there silently, their grief clearly etched upon their faces as they listened to each sound from the gong.

Across from them, Rama had noticed that Don's three brothers wore the Japanese raiment of mourning. A haori, or half coat and a hakama with five crests, or divided skirt, all made from black silk. If it weren't such an intensely sad moment, she would have smiled at the sight. It was the first time that any of them, outside of an occasional coat or jacket, had worn full-on human wear - and it surprised her. Then again, it was obvious that Don held in high regard the traditions of the Japanese culture, so it was fitting that those who honored his life did so in the same way.

As the last gong sounded, a deafening silence followed. Rama knew that, like the number of strikes against the instrument, for each year Don had lived, that was how many seconds of silence they were to respect. It was how Seth explained it before the Followers of the Way sounded out the first gong. Ramiela didn't know if it was part of a traditional ceremony or one that was crafted especially for the moment. She really didn't recognize it, so it was possible it was something that Don had wanted. Just the same, it did well to emphasis how brief life was when compared to such a short measure of time.

After fifty-eight seconds, Seth stepped back out of line and then proceeded around his father. He stopped midway between Leo and Mike, facing east and commanding everyone's attention. Now, everyone turned towards him to give him their respect. Seth looked at each member, smiling a little in encouragement, eventually holding his wife's gaze with his own as she sought his comfort. A silent word passed between the two and then Gabby lowered her head once more, leaning harder into her mother.

Because of his faith, the clan decided to let Seth give the eulogy in honor of his uncle. While he was as devastated over the loss as everyone else was, he managed to compose himself before beginning. After taking a few measured breaths, Seth began, "It is said that for everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose. A time to be born and a time to die," He inhaled sharply as he glanced towards Gabby. His wife began to sob quietly, shaking her head in sorrow and disbelief. Seth took a few calming breaths before continuing, "Yet it might seem to some of us that Don's time came too soon. Still, he did more in his one life than a dozen people could do in theirs. He had a great deal to offer not just to his family, but to the world at large." He swallowed as he composed himself once more and then continued, "Donatello was truly blessed in his endeavours. He truly lived his life to the fullest and enjoyed what came his way."

Seth then looked towards Cassandra and for a moment, their eyes met. She raised her head just a little, refusing her tears release, though they hovered threateningly as they brimmed at her eyes.

Gaining encouragement from her, Seth went on, smiling just a bit, "He definitely had his time of war and peace; no one here can deny that. Yet, Don also had his time to love."

Cassandra gave a weak smile for she knew that she was not Don's first interest, romantically or otherwise. Yet, she did know that he loved her – and it was mutual. She fought to compose herself, now, a single trail of tears finding escape as they ran down her right cheek. Now, she held Gabby a little closer and finally lowered her head, unable to keep back the flood of grief.

"I don't know if Don ever really hated anyone, though I am sure that he did have his moments of hate, anger and of self doubt. Yet he seemed to have a golden touch in so many areas. He truly reaped what he sowed." Seth took a deep shaky breath, almost losing it, but he persevered, "He was a good man with a talent for bringing the best out in those he believed in." He looked at his wife again and then continued as he scanned the rest of his family, "I suppose that's the reason we look for those to blame, for he was a candle against the darkness, a hammer against injustice, and the beacon that led many to safety. We can all agree that his bright flame was extinguished all too soon." Seth's voice suddenly choked as he fought to regain control.

Rama leaned closer into Devon, her own head bowed. She could feel his arm around her as he held her, while tears rolled down her cheeks. She could sense Devon's unflinching desire to remain in control, unwilling to break down before his family. He held her tightly to him, almost crushing her against his side as a result. Yet, she allowed it and held him just as desperately.

Seth gave a shuddered sigh as he continued, his voice emotionally strained, "Don's memory can only live on in each of us. We must each carry a piece of him in our hearts with the special place that he has there. Now, I would like to open it up to those who want to share a special memory about him."

Over the course of the next twenty minutes, some of the family members spoke up. Others, such as Rahab and Gabby, were far too upset to even try sharing about Don. It was enough that they were grief stricken and terribly devastated by their loss. Those that did speak out ended up shedding a new light about Don. Rama had listened intently, absorbing as much as she could. She learned about a side of Donatello that seemed curiously so much like her own uncle, that at times her breathing hitched in surprise.

Cassandra finally shared, telling about his persistent nature, how relentless and how stubborn he could be. This allowed a bit of levity to the solemn event, easing some of the grief that weighed heavily upon them. Everyone knew, even Rama had an inkling based on what Cassie had told her, how determined Don was to win a date or two from the woman. His success had generated a new era in his heart. He and everyone else had thought any desire for romance would be long dead, especially after Don's near assassination decades earlier. Truly, if he had lived, they all hoped that Donatello would have married Cassie.

As it was winding down and as the last clan member finished speaking, Rama raised her hand to offer her own thoughts. Seth recognized her by nodded her way. Stepping out before the assembled members of the clan, she licked her lips in preparation to speak. She, herself, had found enough insight from meditating earlier that morning to share something. Rama had wondered what she would say if she found the courage to do so. Now, she knew and she knew it was the right thing to share.

Walking over to stand between the two lines of clan members, Rama looked at each person and began, "I really didn't get a chance to know your Don all that well and I regret the fact that I lost that opportunity early on. Now, it's obvious I will never get to know him, except through your memories that you've shared today." She wiped at her eyes and sniffed before giving a weak grin and continued, "Such a pity, too. Foresight is not nearly as good as hindsight, where hindsight is always twenty-twenty. Though Don Tello and I didn't get along very well, the limited time that he was around me I had to see that my relationship with my own Uncle Donatello really wasn't that much different." She shook her head as she smiled sheepishly at Raph and Mike, "You really didn't think that I acted that way on the plane just 'cause I was ticked at the whole lot of ya."

Mike couldn't help but grin a bit and Raph nodded as he cocked a half smile. It was an easy memory to recall with how she had been at the time. They both chuckled lightly at the recollection.

Rama then went on to say, "No, my Uncle Donatello and I always had this bit of a gap between us and I guess Don only took his place for a time. Maybe it was something about our personalities that didn't mix well." She sighed a little and twiddled her fingers nervously. "I'm not sure, really, but where I can't share about the Don in this world, maybe I can share about mine. Maybe somewhere in all of it and with what I have to say, you might actually recognize your Donatello."

She saw Leo nod at her, giving her permission, so Ramiela began, "I know that in school, while my uncle was teaching me, I found him to be rather boring. Just the same, I was always trying to keep things interesting. He was so serious all the time, so - into teaching me and everything. He seemed more interested in getting knowledge into me than finding out what I really knew. Uncle Donatello only seemed to have time for that and nothing else. I guess it was hard for him to relate to a simple kid like me; he just didn't know how to relax or have fun." She paused for a moment as she saw Gabby look up at her. A faint smile played across her tear-stained face, a bit of concurrence in her eyes. Rama then had a spark of an idea and shared, "I remember how he used to hover over me in chemistry, where I'd be mixing chemicals together and then decided to use something else instead of what he wanted me to use. For some reason, he didn't appreciate my sense of curiosity to find out what would happen if you mixed two different compounds together. I never did understand his lack of adventure in that."

Mike could only shake his head and smile a little, imagining the chaos that would come from such an experience. Then, Cassie looked up and locked eyes on the girl, recalling Rama's talk with her after the fateful phone call. She was beginning to understand the young kunoichi, as the girl related this tale about her own uncle. It was becoming apparent why the girl viewed him as aloof and hard to get to know.

Then, Rama seemed to have more to share as her courage and thoughts grew, "I know one time he wanted me to memorize a poem for class. Being the obedient student that I was," Leo looked over her way and raised his eye ridges just a bit while Rama shared, "I thought it would be hilarious to recite Humpty Dumpty. It wasn't exactly what he had in mind and he didn't seem to get the joke at all, for some reason." She shrugged a little as she smiled, "I guess that was the first time I realized a joke could go too far. He looked as if he'd given up on me. I mean, he didn't even yell at me or give me twenty pages of work." Rama rolled her eyes, "He didn't even give me an essay, which my family is really big on, by the way," she confessed grudgingly. "He just sat there and said nothing; did nothing. I had never seen him like that before. In fact, I don't think I want to ever see him like that again." Rama shook her head wistfully, "That was when I asked him if I could recite another poem that I knew. He didn't have to give me a second chance to come clean, but he did. I was grateful for it and as a result, I recited the best poem I knew at that time, which was Jabberwocky."

The others listened intently. This was a story that they all could easily relate to regarding their Don. Gaele smiled through her tears as she recalled herself how her own uncle never settled for less than the best, even mentoring her while she was in college. How often did he challenge her pat answers for tests, telling her than knowing the right answer wasn't nearly as important as understanding why the answer was right.

All in all, what Rama shared gave each clan member more insight into the kunoichi and her relationship with their Donatello.

As she finished, Rama found her self-control gradually slipping away as the enormity of what she was sharing made full impact on her. She strangled out as she wiped an errant tear away, "I know life doesn't always give you a second chance at things. Sometimes you have but one shot. If ever I get home again, I know I will have that second chance to make amends and give some respect…" she fought for control, almost losing it, but in the last moment where she thought she would, she dipped into her ninjitsu. Raising her head and squaring her shoulders, Rama finished with her voice strong and her words decisive, "To give respect to a ninja who greatly deserves it - the respect he should have had from me from the very start because I realize, now, that if I had paid more attention to him, my uncle could have taught me a great deal more." She sighed as she added quickly, "I just wish that there was a way for all of you to have that second chance, too."

There was a moment of quiet after Rama rejoined Devon by his side. Everything she had shared for the past several minutes had been deeply felt by the family. Finally, they ended the ceremony with a prayer from Seth and one final gong from above.

While the others left for the family domiciles, Raph, Mike, and Leo paid their final last goodbyes to their fallen brother. They stood next to his gravesite in silence for a moment to honor him. However, before they turned and joined up with the rest of the clan, Leo reached out towards a devotee, who stepped forward with an item in his hand. Taking the object from the man, the jonin then gently placed Donatello's bo-staff across the top of the grave marker, resting it neatly in the metal supports embedded into the marble. As they finally turned to leave, their hearts were heavy with despair. They knew that their brother, Donatello, would no longer be a part of their lives - except for the memories that they would take with them.

Walking away, Leo was the first to drape an arm across a brother's shoulder, Raphael's. Then, Raph's opposite arm wrapped around Mike's. Before they had even taken ten paces, they turned and huddled together. Gone were the pretences of courage and strength as they freely and openly embraced the depth of their grief. Now, they were brothers, brothers who were once four that now were suddenly three. They stayed huddled in silence together like that for a long while, neither wanting to let go. It was obvious they were speaking with each other, yet no words could be heard. Yet, their loss seemed to have shaken them to their very core and it was painfully clear to anyone watching that they would never be the same.

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Devon held Rama close to him as he guided her up towards the koi pond. Instead of the footbridge, though, he moved inwards towards the depth of the water garden, leading his beloved along a stone path. He maneuvered around some shrubs in the back and around a couple of large boulders. Soon, they came upon a private meditation area complete with a small cascading waterfall. There, a rocky outcropping, flat and large on top, greeted them. It was there he invited Rama to sit with him. Devon wasn't one to meditate much, but given the circumstances, it was something he now wanted to do. With Rama by his side and as they both folded their legs into the traditional lotus position, Devon's thoughts went to his uncle and to his own future.

Most of the other member went their own way, as well, with each individual or couple seeking solitude of one type or another. Thomas returned to Kyoto to continue his investigation of his employer's death, promising the clan that he would not rest until someone was identified as the responsible party.

In the meantime, after he left his brothers, Leo chose his old master's house to meditate. It had been years since he had last done so, yet despite the distance in time, the place was spotless. Having his father's private residence kept perfectly clean, even though he refused to let anyone use it, was one of Leo's strictest rules. As Splinter had always had it, was the way his son insisted that it be kept. No exceptions. It was Leo's way of showing respect for his mentor, his master – his beloved father.

Now, he had to honor one more member of his clan that was no longer among the living. Doing so in the familiar comfort of his father's residence brought a sense of peace to him.

As Leonardo approached the threshold of the front door, he bowed low, sustained it for several seconds, and then straightened up. He sighed deeply and swallowed. Taking a deep breath he entered the living area and then stopped. Looking around expectantly, he sighed yet a second time. This was where he would often go whenever he was distressed or upset. The last time he had visited was after he had returned from the states when Seth had exorcised Sake's demonic spirit from him. It brought back a deep sadness as Leo remembered how valiantly his Master had kept the spirit subdued while he was alive. Being there in that room also reminded Leo of his own emotional state at the time. Though the spirit of Sake was no longer a viable threat, just the same the memory was still there.

Yet, now, as he sat deep in meditation and tried to relax after the stressful day, a familiar feeling suddenly came over him. At first, he thought maybe he had detoured a little too much, not emptying his mind thoroughly as he always did. Yet, he knew by instinct how to do that and it was never a problem for him before. Just the same, as a result and as he sat there, the thought of Don came to him. He expected that, considering all that had transpired earlier. Yet, it wasn't a thought as much as it was a spoken word.

"Leo!"

Hearing his name was so unexpected that it startled him back to wakefulness. Yet, just as quickly, he lost the connection. Shaking his head as if denying what he had just sensed, he tried meditating again, half hoping to confirm what he had just experienced. Try as he might, though, he just could not get it back. Leo could only sit there, now, wondering if he really had felt Don's presence or if it was his tortured imagination. He knew that both the legal and private forensic evaluations claimed his brother to be dead. Gaele _did_ find a trace element in the results of her testing, but it was dismissed as debris burned onto the piece of carapace she had used. There wasn't any reason at all not to believe the results. Moreover, they had buried what was left of him and had said their goodbyes. It might have only been wishful thinking, then, on Leo's part to feel him now. At most, it might have only been Don's departing soul saying goodbye one last time.

Deciding that he was too upset to even further his meditation, Leo decided to walk around the Ryu grounds for a while. He would then try again later in the evening, once everyone had settled down. More than likely, the others' emotional state was playing havoc with his concentration. When his family was asleep, then he would meditate again and finally acquire some inner peace.

Dinner was a subdued and quiet affair. Only Mindy, with sporadic cries from Jordan, seemed interested in talking. Rather than hush the child, though, the family decided the cheerful banter of the girl was a welcomed relief from their own sorrow. She and her brother were a testament that the clan would continue. However, once the meal was over, everyone retreated quietly to their own houses and rooms to contemplate the day's events.

Later on that night and well after the rest of the clan had retired to bed, Leo was up in his own room. His house was located across the way from what used to be Don's residence. An unexpected comforting feeling came over him as he lit his candles and incense. With the windows slightly opened, it allowed the fragrance of the jasmine vine to waft in. Leo then went into his customary lotus position. He crossed his legs upon themselves while he kept his back straight. His arms rested nimbly across his knees, with forefingers to thumbs pressed together. Leo tilted his head up ever so slightly and closed his eyes. He breathed in deeply and exhaled five times and then, on the fifth intake of air, slowly relaxed his body and mind. He stayed that way, still as a stone for a good ten minutes, his meditation going deeper as he took in each slowly measured breath. As he felt his mind drift, a vision came to him.

It was of Don's carapace.

The back of it faced him, showing all of its cuts and marks, along with the piece that had broken off. It was the same piece that Gaele had used to verify that the shell was Don's. Suddenly, Leo heard someone call out his name once again, only louder. However, this time he instantly recognized the voice. At the same time, the shell came floating at Leo, growing bigger and more detailed as it swam towards his mind's eye. The design of the carapace became more pronounced; every nick and chip easily discernable, the cause of each cut made known to him. Then, like a bolt of lightening, Leo saw it, or – more to the point - he saw what wasn't there. In a moment of clarity, he snapped awake, his heart pounding under the sheer weight of what he had just heard and seen.

Leaping up faster than he had done in years, Leo raced out of his home. Careening down the hill towards the other houses, he mentally called out for his surviving brothers to wake-up, his heart nearly beating out of his chest.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_TBreader_**_: I thought we have gone through this. Dead is dead but as you saw in this chapter there may be hope yet. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: Thanks! Hopefully we are done with sad chapters for a bit but I can't promise any thing where that is concerned. A gratitude for your insight_

**_Katie_**_: Well Don in Gabby's world is a bit more out and open then he is in Rama's world. While there are twins in the worlds they don't necessarily live through similar circumstances. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lisa 15_**_: We are working hard on the last few chapter but with the holidays updates might be slowed down a bit we are trying to keep the updates to one a week. So glad you can handle a bit of angst. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASERS COMMENTS:_**

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**_LISA15: _**_Well, we tried to 'paint' a pretty picture re: the Ryu. I actually went on line to see what Japanese gardens might look like, so I sort of cheated. Cheaper than flying over there, believe me! Those fifteen hour flights can be murder, take it from me! LOL Anyway, glad you can handle angst. I can't. So, with the kind of ending we gave this chapter, I'm happy. :0) Yeah, he's a bit more 'out there' than other versions. He and the others are based on Wendy Peabody's RAHAB series. A great read, btw. If you want to privy up with it, go to Ziptango's home page and under Fan Fiction, she has all three of Wendy's Descendent Series stories. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_KATIE_**_: Cool, then our job is done! LOL Ah, wouldn't we all want a place for reflection and contemplation. Where I live, we have Japanese gardens that are supposed to be quite beautiful. I've never been there, though, so I can't say if it's true. I'm sure it is, though. As far as Rama's Uncle Donatello dying in her world simply because this one 'died', don't count on it. Won't happen. Unless Ramica wants to explore that idea, since Rama is her – ah – client. Have to chose words carefully when talking about Ramiela. Oh, it's rather interesting you mentioned making this into a movie. I would like to do that with all of my fics, but CGI's are long-winded when it comes to developing them. The only way I would go, too. Costly, as well. I like Buslady's stories, too, btw. Neat lady. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Sorry about the angst. It's over – for now. Ramica and I make NO promise whatsoever of not having more, but for now – it's over. Maybe. I won't tell, not until the last strike of the keyboard, anyway. Ah, well, what's a drama without a few tears, eh? Glad you liked the poem. It's often used at funerals and, for the record, is public domain. That means we can use it however and whenever without infringing upon copyright laws. Thanks for the encouragement, too, as well as for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Ah, don't cry, hugs, it'll get better, we promise. At least, for at time. I remember your concern about this not getting done by the end of the year. I think that was you. Anyway, as it looks and with the holidays upon us, I don't think we'll get it done before January 1st. I guess if we left Gabby complacent and agreeable with Mindy's training, we'd have finished long ago. Still, it was a lot of fun 'chasing' her all over the place. LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

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	52. Visions

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_We're winding up to a climax before winding down to an epilogue. I'm through with predicting how many more chapters we have left, so – let it be known that Ramica and I, Reinbeauchaser, only own our own OC's and nobody else. We hope that we'll have this done by next year. :0) Yeah, it's not that far away, is it. _

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**CHAPTER 52 - Visions**

"Leo, so help me, if this is one of your crazy dreams again…" Raphael grouched, "Exhuming even his shell seems horribly sacrilegious; you know that, don't ya?" Raph, Leo, and Mike were currently making haste for the amphitheatre, each in possession of their own light source. Leo had a lantern while Mike and Raphael held a more modern flashlight to illuminate the darkened walkway in front of them. Quietly walking behind the trio of mutant brothers were a half a dozen devotees of The Way. Each of the yellow-cloaked followers had either a pick or shovel in their hand and each carried a lantern to light the path.

Minutes earlier, after his vision, Leo had silently sent a message to both of his brothers and, once they had joined up, he had gone about gathering a few of his devotees to assist in the digging. Now, a ground-hugging mist rolled along the pathway where they walked, their footfall scattering whips of vapor as they made for their destination. The cool of the late evening air mixed with the warmer temperatures from the surrounding climate-controlled ponds, creating a netherworld feel to the landscape. In contrast, the dark of the night sky was crystal-clear as it exposed the moonless star-studded heavens above.

Leo sighed and repeated what he had been trying to convince his two brothers of for the past few minutes. He easily kept pace as he assured him, "Look, I know it sounds crazy, I'll be the first to admit it. Nevertheless, I KNOW what I saw and what I heard. My visions are never wrong…"

Raph stopped dead in his tracks and whipped around to face his older brother. His actions forced Mike and the six devotees, who had been following, to come up short. Then, Raphael seethed, "Yeah, like with Seth? If I remember correctly, Leo, it was a vision that told ya to betray me by '_knocking up'_ my _wife_! Personally, I would have asked for a second opinion before following through with _that_ dream," his brother replied tartly. He was mere inches, now, from his brother's snout, staring him down. However, Raph received only Leo's typically calm expression in reply.

Mike quickly positioned himself between his two siblings, causing Raphael to step back just a bit and Leo to look at him in amusement. The last thing Mike wanted was more than a war of words between them. Not that there would have been anything he could have done about it if they had decided to exchange blows, but at least he would have delayed the process for a few seconds. Still, Mike was sincerely hoping that things would not escalate beyond the verbal, as he cared little for their fighting.

"Look," he interjected hotly as he glared at Raph, "just quit with the history lessons, 'kay? We all know about Leo's transgressions." He looked at both of them and added, "After all these years, still neither of you can get along. Just quit with the rivalry; I'm getting mighty tired of it."

Raph bristled at his youngest brother and grumped, "Easy for you to say, little brother, when you conveniently swooped in when it was all over to snatch Rahab out from under me!" Raph then turned irritably on his heels with the intention of resuming his walk towards the burial site. However, in the next moment, he found himself spinning around and then landing hard on his shell with Mike towering over him.

"The only _frigg'n_ reason why I swooped in is because YOU left her high and dry. What was I to do, just hang around playing _Mr. Nanny_ while you go find yourself? She divorced you, Raph, because of your neglect, plain and simple. You couldn't handle the straight life with her, period!"

Raph was about to leap back up and reply to Mike with his fists when he found several pair of hands holding him down. He looked up and saw that all six of Leo's men had him pinned tighter than a drum to the dirt walkway. Just the same, the next voice all of them heard belonged to someone else.

It didn't take much to recognize who it was.

"I thought for sure you two were far too old for such childish displays. You actually make my brothers and I seem rather mature for our age!" She slipped out from the shadows and now stood just off to one side as she faced them. Gaele had her hands on her hips as she looked over the spectacle, shaking her head in obvious displeasure. "So, while you're taking a break from your _sibling squabble_, mind telling me what's going on?" Her tail snaked irritably along the ground behind her as she composed her displeasure.

Mike offered a hand to Raphael, who at first hesitated – but then, grudgingly, accepted it. The devotees stood back and, once his brother helped him to become vertical again, Raph worked the kinks out of his shoulders and looked away. Mike apologized, "Sorry, Gaele; seems we're just a little edgy right now, with Don's death and all."

"Yeah, aren't we all? But, why are you outside this late at night?" She looked at each one of them as she assessed their moods. So far, she noted that her father was pissed, her Uncle Raphael was, too, but Leo seemed distracted, as if his mind were somewhere else. Except for her father, the other two seemed to be acting like them selves.

Now, Mike had his hands on his hips as he asked his daughter, "Hey, for that matter, why are YOU out and about?"

"Couldn't sleep – plus I heard you leave the house." She replied smugly.

"Heard me leave? How…" he began defensively.

However, his daughter cut him off with a wave of her hand, "You trained me, remember? Just because I work with test tubes and had my equipment taken away doesn't mean I've forgotten how to be ninja." Gaele then grinned smugly. She noticed Leo smiling a little. He was obviously amused with her and most especially with his brother's embarrassment. Gaele then restated her query, "So, back to my question; why are you three out and about at this hour?" She noticed the six devotees with the shovel and picks that they carried and it was then that her brow suddenly quirked up in curiosity.

Leo answered her, "I was meditating and had a vision."

Gaele shook her head and groaned, "You and your visions…I have to agree with Uncle Raph on this one." She then seared a glance at her uncle as if to make a point, "Just the same, though, I must say that I am rather partial to my little brother." Looking back at Leo, she then asked, "So, tell me what this one's all about."

"Walk with us and I will." Leo instructed as he opened his arm wide to invite her along with them. As the group made for the burial site, he filled Gaele in on his vision.

Once they had arrived at the amphitheatre, Gaele had learned all about her uncle's dream. Now, they stood there in somber reverence before Don's memorial, quiet and reflective. It was still a shock for all of them. Seeing his name as it was before he had changed it and etched upon the simple marble gravestone was like having a bucket of ice-cold water thrown in their face. It just did not seem real. After a moment, Gaele broke the silence, her voice soft, "So, this dream, or vision, or whatever you call it, is telling you that what we've buried here - isn't Don's carapace?"

Nodding solemnly, Leo concurred, "Yes that is true."

Sighing, his niece offered, "Well, there was a discrepancy with the sample I tested. I passed it off as debris that had burned onto his shell, though. However, if what you say is true, then we are going to have to exhume it to verify your suspicions."

Raph growled low as he complained, "And if Leo's wrong?" He shot a look at his brother, only to receive the now familiar placid expression in reply.

"Then," Leo simply said, "we re-bury him."

As the four of them talked and while the followers waited patiently, another figure stepped silently out from the shadows behind them. Noiselessly, the newcomer walked towards the tight little group. She listened carefully, making not a sound, her breathing soft and undetectable – the way she had been trained. Finally and realizing that by not making herself known she was being deceitful, Rama cleared her throat.

Instantly as one, the six yellow-clad figures dropped their lanterns and tools. In the next moment and in unison, they did an immediate one-eighty turn, leaping in her direction with their hands and feet ready to defend. Just as quickly, though, Rama pulled back and in that moment, her would-be attackers recognized who she was. Once they made landfall, they bowed low in contrition and knelt before her.

The next thing Rama heard was Leo. He began to chuckle quietly while he raised his own lantern towards her. His joviality then grew until it became loud and then contagious, allowing his two brothers and niece to join in. "It seems, dear Rama," he said as he laughed, "that you have earned from my men their highest respect. It is not very easy to surprise them as you did; even I must work very hard to do so." He nodded and then the kneeling six rose once more, parting to allow her to advance and pass before them.

"Sheesh, everyone seems to be so on edge." She mused aloud, "What's going on here?" Rama finally asked.

"Leo believes that what we've buried here this afternoon wasn't Don's carapace." Gaele explained evenly.

Rama looked at all of them as if they had lost their minds and, quite possibly, she thought they might have – due to grief. "Ah, how could that be? I mean, from what I understand, there are only four mutated turtles in this world, five if you include me, and that shell we buried a while ago was anything but your garden variety!" She chuckled a bit, but when all she received in reply from them was silence, Rama became fidgety. After a moment, she added as she shrugged, "How, I mean, why do you think it's not Don's?"

Leo answered this time, "I was meditating earlier and Don called out to me; it was quite unmistakable as I would recognize his mental voice from anywhere."

"Couldn't it be displaced grief, though?" Rama asked and then commented, "No disrespect, but what I sensed earlier from all of you at the service was horrific sadness. It was quite overwhelming, to be honest." She looked at each clan member, hoping that her words would make sense. However, Rama could sense that even though Mike seemed less willing to believe it, he was siding with Leo on this one.

"Look, if Leo's right then we have hope; if he's not…" Mike explained, but then Raphael interrupted him.

"Then his visions become _less_ credible." He sneered at his older brother as he worked his jaw in frustration with past offenses.

Rama glanced over at the memorial and nodded, "So, what then? Are you going to dig him up NOW?"

"That was the plan," Leo replied casually.

Shaking her head, Rama disagreed, "Well, personally, I think that where Don's death affected everyone, I believe that everyone should be present for that."

"Ramiela, that would mean wasting time trying to get everyone awake." Leo countered, "Along with hearing his voice, I had the distinct impression that we do not have the luxury of time on our side."

"Still," the kunoichi gently challenged, "how long do you think it will take to dig him up? By the time you're half way done everyone will be here already. Why don't I go and get them while you and your crew begin working?"

Leo thought for a moment and then, nodding with a faint smile, agreed, "That will work. Why don't you and Gaele go, that way you can work quicker and more efficiently at getting the family here." He then turned to Raph and said, "Call Thomas in Kyoto and see if he has a list of any disgruntled business dealings. Mike, you mentioned a week ago Thomas talking about certain threats; we need to look into those, too."

Quickly, Raph and the two girls headed back towards the family compound. Meanwhile, Leo and Mike with the others began to remove the marble slab over Don's grave in preparation for exhuming his carapace.

Rahab tried to stifle a yawn as she shivered under the cool night sky, despite having her robe wrapped tight against her. With her tail entwined around her legs for warmth, she blinked repeatedly to ward off the need for sleep. She stood next to her husband, watching as the humans worked slowly at the grave. The site was lit up by the seven lanterns that surrounded it and the few flashlights the rest of the clan held.

Rahab could only shudder at the depravity of what they were doing. Quite honestly, she thought that her brother-in-law had lost his mind, believing that Don was alive. Hadn't they just buried his remains? Now, Leo believed that his brother had 'called' out to him while meditating – twice, no less. Add to that the vision Leo described of Don's carapace coming at him in his dream only spoke volumes of how much he missed his brother. At least, that was Rahab's interpretation. Shaking her head, she reached up with her left hand to try and rub away the beginning stages of a headache. She was definitely going to sleep-in. Anyone waking her before she awoke naturally would be asking for a death sentence.

While his workers dug carefully around the burial site, Leo smiled faintly as he glanced around at his family. Now with everyone present, they would all find out together if his vision was correct. He didn't have any doubts that it was, but just the same, even he would be relieved once Don's shell was exhumed.

As Leo watched the others, it was clear to see that Raph, Rama and Devon were a bit anxious. Their stiff, yet attentive body postures were clearly anticipating some sort of outcome. Whatever they found, once the shell was retrieved, would decide what future course of action to take. Though a plan was already in the making, if it was proven that Don's shell was not his then their rebuttal would become a rescue mission instead. He looked back at his men as they carefully dug around the slowly exposing shell. They worked meticulously, to ensure that they would not add to the number of scrapes already on the carapace. Returning his gaze once again to his clan, Leo noticed his son's posturing.

Seth, also attentive, seemed to lack the anxious energy of the other three. Leo knew that his son preferred a more passive response, as he cared little for the violence that often accompanied the honor system of the ninja. In fact Leo recalled, as he stood watching over the dig, that in the past he and Seth had some interesting debates over that particular code. Still, Leo was quite confident that his son would abide with his decision, even if it went against his Christian beliefs.

Raph glanced up at Leo and scowled, "You do know that if you don't find that extra mark, there's going to be more than just me pissed off at ya." He grinned a little, rather wickedly, in fact.

Leo scowled slightly and shook his head "I'm certain of what we'll find, Raph, so you can stop worrying."

"Me? Worry about you?" Raph snorted, "That's a stretch." Yes, he wanted his revenge on those who took Don's life, as any of them did. Yet, if what Leo said was true, then he wanted to rescue his brother as well. What came after would be incidental, as long as Don was safe. Still, Leo believing that he heard his brother call out to him seemed too incredible to be true.

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Earlier, when the family had first arrived at the amphitheatre and all in varying degrees of wakefulness, Leo had quickly explained the situation to them. At one point, he had paused in his explanation as he assessed his family's rising ire. He soon noticed Raph roll his eyes as if he had just heard it for the first time. Then, so as to avoid any verbal confrontations from him, Leo quickly concluded, "Now I don't think that it was either a dream or Don's spirit bidding farewell. I have reason to believe that it was a vision and that Don is alive."

Those who were hearing this news for the first time all looked at him with stunned and doubtful expressions. Yet, they were also slightly hopeful. It was quite obvious to them by his soft even words that Leo was very serious about what he believed.

Cassandra had stared hard at him, her eyes locked firmly onto his. She certainly wanted to hope and believe that Leo was right. After all, she loved Don very much. Yet, despite all the information that said otherwise, to believe that he was alive seemed outrageous. Just the same, thinking that Don was among the living was a far better feeling than having him dead. Cassie then asked, her heart cautiously optimistic, "What makes you believe, Leo, that this vision wasn't anything more than a hopeful dream?"

"I'm positive, Cassie. My visions have a different feel to them than a simple dream does. I've had a few of these visions before and not one has ever proven false." He looked hesitantly over at Raphael and noticed that his brother was keeping a lid on his earlier rash behavior. "Besides," Leo went on to say as he steered his attention back to the woman, "none of us bothered to check all the distinguishing features on Don's carapace." He then pointed out, "We only saw the more familiar ones and concluded from them that the shell was indeed his. We didn't have any reason to think otherwise, where there are so few of us in the world." He paused just a moment to let his words sink in and then Leo continued, "However, I have reason to believe there will be one mark that is missing." He studied the tightly clustered group as it was fairly obvious he had their unwavering attention, "It's a fairly new one, in fact. I believe that the shell was made before Don's last visit with me. If what I suspect is true, then that mark will not be on it and its absence will prove my theory."

"What mark, Father?" Seth asked as he took a step forward, his interest piquing considerably.

Leo spoke confidently as he explained his reasons, "Before Don left for New York to attend his business meetings and where he eventually found Rama," he looked over at the kunoichi and smiled, then continued, "he was here at the Ryu, brushing up on a few routines. When we sparred together, I managed to put a new mark on his shell with one of my katana. Two of my men, here, " Leo motioned towards the yellow-clad diggers who were swiftly yet carefully working at the ground with their shovels, "will bear witness to this, as they were present when the marks were executed."

Mike had then wondered aloud as he smiled, "Then, that shell we buried might be a dummy, a kind of clone?"

Nodding with a soft smile, Leo had concurred eagerly, "Exactly, Mike! Whoever placed the bomb in Don's apartment, could have obtained a bit of Don's DNA months beforehand. His scutes shed, as all of ours do," He looked at both of his brothers and Rama and saw agreement in their faces, "All it would take would be for someone to procure one or a piece of one and by that measure have his DNA. With the advancements in cloning, it would be easy to genetically recreate his carapace in a lab. Then, all they would need would be a picture of Don's back in order to duplicate the markings, but that wouldn't be too impossible to get. He does meet with clients on their turf. It wouldn't be that difficult for any of them to hide cameras in strategic locations in order to get the photos. With technology the way it is these days, a laser could do the work of a katana quite easily." Leo informed them.

Rama squeezed Devon's hand. From the way things were sounding, what Leo suggested might be better than retribution. This could end up becoming a rescue mission. Her body almost tingled with excitement for it had been too long since she had pitted herself against such worthy opponents. The creeps in the park certainly didn't count, not with the easy way in which she and Devon had dispatched them. Rama definitely wanted a part of this new mission, so she asked, "So which one of Don's enemies would have the capability to do all of this?"

At the sound of her voice and question, Leo glanced her way. He knew that for Rama, it was a worthy thought were she was not privy to the different enemies Don had. He gently held up a hand as if to stop her and stated softly, "We best not jump to conclusions just yet, Rama." he cautioned wisely, "I think the first task we have to do is to check that carapace out – once it's freed from the grave and cleaned off."

"Well, whoever it is who has Don is trying to buy some time for themselves. They did a good enough job to convince me and I've spent more time with Don than any of you." Raph grunted irritably. He knew what that could mean, that Don was possibly being tortured somewhere and perhaps for information on some of his new high tech alarm systems. Considering that Don did a lot of business with different world wide governments, he was an easy man to hate by those insurgents who fought against said governments – including the United States. Raph knew that if the terrorists didn't like his brother's responses, he was quite certain what they could do to him – and it nearly froze his heart with fear for Don's safety. Considering how well-versed he himself was with such measures, it didn't take much imagination on his part. Raph narrowed his eyes as he realized that they had to act fast if they were to be of any help to his brother. "Thomas will be here in a few hours. He's already been working on a list of possible names as it is."

His brother gave a faint smile, "Good. Maybe we'll have more information for him once we have the shell exhumed. It's possible the mark might lend us some clues."

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Now, as the men continued to work on excavating Don's remains, Leo turned in the direction of the grave. He quickly noticed that the shell was nearly free of the dirt surrounding it. Walking over to the site, he said a few words in Japanese. Immediately, the men who were working stopped their progress and stepped back. Leo instructed two to stay while dismissing the remaining four. As the quartet of yellow quickly left the area, leaving all but one of their lanterns behind, their mentor turned back around towards his family. Leo then inquired, "Which of you would like to work on the rest of the dig?"

Rama beamed as she raised her hand, "I would!" but quickly glanced around at the others when she realized she had spoken rather abruptly. However, when Devon hugged her and then gave her a peck on her cheek, she knew her offer to help was accepted. "I'll help as well," he declared and then went with Rama towards the grave, draping an arm around her shoulder. As they reached the nearly excavated gravesite, they each picked up a shovel and, stepping into the gaping hole in the ground, carefully began to dig. Soon, Rama began to sing ever so softly, knowing how well a single sound could carry on a cool evening as the one this night offered up. There wasn't any reason for her singing; it was just that she felt like doing it. Her mood had lightened considerably and it was easy to sense that she was not alone. So, she chose a Japanese song that had been a favorite of Master Splinter's back home. It was one that she would often sing to entertain her family with and one that she sang especially for him.

Devon looked over at her and smiled; yes, definitely, the mood they were both in was a much better place than where they were an hour earlier. Recognizing the tune, he soon began to sing along with her, catching her smile as she looked back over at him.

Cassandra listened as the kunoichi and the future jonin of the clan sang together as they dug.

Raph turned and, nodding Rama's way, raised an eye ridge as he whispered to the other who watched, "She didn't get her singing talent from Mike's side of the family, that's for sure."

Mike sniffed a bit, "Raph, how can you say that. I'll have you know that I'm a pretty good singer." Rahab chuckled, receiving a rather hurt expression and a defensive comment from her husband, "Well, I AM!"

"Mike, you couldn't carry a tune in a bucket if your life depended on it." Raph teased good-naturedly.

"HA! With my voice, it'd take more than a bucket to carry it," his youngest brother replied.

"Yeah, well then, maybe a garbage bin would do!" Raphael chortled, chuckling as he did so. Rahab had to join in as did Gabriella and Riahna. It wasn't a mystery to any of them where this discussion was going to lead to.

Soon, the two brothers were bickering quietly between one another as they tossed friendly insults back and forth. Leo, though quite amused at their banter, finally told them to be quiet. For the moment, he was more in the mood to listening to Rama's singing than his brothers' battle of wits. Even though he was aware that both were expressions of happiness over the prospect of Don possibly being alive, Rama was by far more entertaining than they were.

"Obviously, her singing has to be a talent that Rama inherited more from her mother." Leo stated as he looked at Cassandra and smiled. "Since we know there are some similarities between ourselves and our twins in Rama's world, then it would stand to reason that you and Shay share some of the same characteristics as well."

Cassie nodded, "Obviously, and that would mean it adds credibility to her story." She stepped closer to Leo and, with her voice low and soft, commented, "Just so you know, I've been trying to convince my daughter to ease up on Rama. After all, in a surrealistic way, they are half-sisters." Then, she scowled as she looked over at Gabby, who was in the middle of a rather large yawn, "However, I have a feeling that she won't forgive her and move on just yet. That seems such a pity to me, especially when I've heard how well Rama played with Mindy and how badly she desires to hold Jordan."

"In time she will forgive her, Cassandra," Leo encouraged softly as he laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Gabby still has issues that need addressing and I do plan on doing that with her." As he watched the twosome dig around the carapace, he sighed, "But I have to take this one step at a time. Right now, my focus is on that shell."

---------------

All took turns at digging or holding the light so the others could see to the work, spelling one another off. They worked in silence through most of the excavation with a little talk here and there. Yet, for the most part, they were bent to the task at hand.

Finally, as the remaining part of the shell became fully exposed, they began to shift the rest of the dirt from around it by using their fingers. It was of great concern that the shovels didn't create new scratches or marks on the carapace that would make identifying it more difficult. After a few minutes, the shell was freed from the confines of the dirt and lifted up out of the grave. Laying the carapace almost reverently alongside the gapping hole that was once its grave, all flashlights were now trained upon it. Stepping over to the now fully exhumed remains of what was supposed to be his brother's shell, Leo crouched down into a squat and carefully examined it. The two remaining devotees joined him in his inspection.

As they watched, the remaining clan members waited in silence, almost holding their breath in anticipation for Leo's response. Each wondered which way his judgement would go. Finally, unable to withstand the tension, Raphael sharply demanded, "Well?"

At first Leo was quiet. He stared long and hard at the back of the carapace, running his fingers over the well defined marks. He spoke softly to one of his followers, who nodded in concurrence as did the other one. Raph then noticed Leo's brow furrowing as his brother's hand caressed a mar-free area of the shell. After a moment, the jonin licked his lips and then smiled. He looked up at Raphael and the rest as he exclaimed with a voice soft as if in awe, "It isn't here. Other marks Don had are on this but not the most recent one. Not the one I put there."

Gabby walked over to her mother and embraced her, both of them smiling broadly at what this new turn of events meant. Rahab wiped a tear away as the depth of what Leo implied finally sank in. Even Riahna was keenly aware of the kind of good news her uncle's statement was alluding to. As Leo looked over the rest of the clan, it was quite apparent that everyone had hoped for the best news possible. Leo had been expecting this outcome from the moment he had his vision. Just the same, to have it confirmed filled him with a sense of relief. Relief because now it meant they could still help Don and maybe save his life. Leo knew that the one thing in their favor was the enormous expense it would take to carry out such a task as duplicating Don's carapace. There were only a handful of companies that could finance such a venture and even fewer numbers of companies or laboratories that had the means to do it. Narrowing the field down in that way could only help in locating Don.

Yet the urgency that Leo felt from the voice that called out to him in his vision was unmistakable. Regardless of who had him, Leo could sense that Don's time was short. Now, it was a race between saving his brother's life or risk going through the throes of grief all over again. In that moment, Leo determined that by whatever measure it would take, losing Don a second time was not going to be an option, not if he had anything to say about it!

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_TBreader_**_: Glad to hear you'll be around to see the end of the story but I bet you are anxious to know where you are going too. I happen to know there are plant and animal mutations on earth but the mutations don't permit them the ability to walk or talk as our ninja turtles do. Frogs are a good example being an indicator species in other words if frogs in a pond start changing drastically, or if their numbers drop then what ever is causing the mutation or loss could be effecting other wildlife. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: You're eyes were blurry but no tears darn, so close and yet so far. We almost did it though. Yes at the moment there seems to be some hope for Don but one wrong move or what have you, and they could lose Don again. So you will have to keep reading to see what awaits Don. A gratitude for your insight._

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**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS: _**

**_TBREADER_**_: Ah, well, looks like you'll still be around when we finish this fic. At least, I hope we finish it. Yes, hope is on the horizon – for now. There are mutant turtles, but not the kind the TMNT's represent. There are sea turtles that develop a skin disorder that eventually covers their entire body, making it difficult if not impossible for them to breathe or to even eat. It's assumed that pollution is the culprit. Very sad. I have two cats that have 'thumbs'. Basically, their dew claws are set lower on the inside of their front legs, down close to their paws. It ends up looking like a thumb. They can't use it as we do ours, but it is very weird, nonetheless. So, one could say they're mutant cats! LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: Ah, well, funerals are usually sad, but we hope this chapter helps to boost your mood a bit with the story. Yeah, we're nearing the end, but the end may leave you a bit – unresolved. Bwahahaha! Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

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	53. Nervous Anticipation

**DISCLAIMER: **As always, we only own the OC's in this story, which are Gabby, Cassandra, and Mindy (Reinbeauchaser's), and Ramiela ( Ramica's ).

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**Chapter 53 – Nervous Anticipation**

"What the hell is taking so long Leo?" Raphael snapped in agitation. He paced the room like a caged lion, his impatience quite evident for all to see. Seated on the futon nearby were Rahab and Mike, watching in silent observation the growing tension between the other two turtles.

Leo explained in his usual calm manner from where he stood by the window, "Raph, you know as well as I do that we have to be sure of the facts. I don't want to invade the first place that comes to mind, only to find out that Don was never there to begin with. We'll only be making more enemies for ourselves by doing it that way."

"If we wait too long, then Don might pay for it," Raph reminded his brother as he stopped right in front of him. Pointing a finger at him, he declared, "You even said we didn't have much time."

Leo shook his head, "You should also know that we have to proceed carefully. Patience is necessary, more now than before, in order to make our strike count," he counseled, though he was well aware that Don's time might indeed be short.

"Yeah, but the longer we **wait** the greater the chance that Don could…" Raph began to argue, but then Mike's cell phone went off.

All occupants of the room hushed as Mike flipped his phone opened. "Y'hello, Mike here," he answered. "Hey, girlie, slow down!" he chortled, "Can't understand a word yer sayin'." He listened expectantly with his phone to his ear as his daughter rambled on.

Raph and Leo stood side by side, now, facing their youngest brother and both waiting anxiously for the news that their niece was obviously sharing with him. Rahab sat next to her husband, a cup of tea in hand as she, too, pensively listened. The other clan members were elsewhere for the moment, either napping or wandering the Ryu grounds.

Finally, Mike looked back over to Leo and winked as he spoke into the phone, "Well, guess your old uncle is vindicated once again. Next time, though – consider the unexpected, 'kay?" Mike rolled his eyes as it was perfectly obvious his daughter did not appreciate his comment. He instinctively held up a hand in defense as he commented, "'Kay, sorry, it's just that the bit of debris should have been considered, too. Would have saved all of us from…" Shaking his head as he realized there wasn't any way to win the argument, Mike relented, "Gaele, I'm sorry. Yes, I know you did every conceivable test and I know…yes, dear…all right, then…okay, see you in a few." As he folded his cell phone closed and slipped it into his coat pocket, Mike sighed, "Never argue with a scientist – especially when they're related to you." He then suddenly winced as he notice his wife glaring at him reproachfully.

"So," Rahab asked as she returned her focus to the phone conversation, "it is indeed a fake. That shell _was_ manufactured?"

"Yep, it's official," Mike replied as he grinned in relief, "I didn't understand the science part of what Gaele said, but the shell had one aspect of the genetic code that disavowed it to be Don's. It was so 'off' when they first tested it, that they attributed it to debris from the explosion."

"So, now what?" Raph asked impatiently, "From what Leo said, we don't have much time."

Mike nodded as he replied, "Thomas and Gaele are on their way back from the city. Seems that he just came into some leads that might prove interesting and Gaele thinks she can narrow down where the fake was created."

"I don't care about interesting or where the shell was made," Raph growled out, "I want to get Don back. Then, we'll see about 'interesting' as far as rebuttal is concerned."

Leo graced a hand on his brother's shoulder, "We will get Don back, Raphael. But, we need to consider what information Thomas has first. No need taking off until we know where we have to go."

"I know that, Leo," Raph snapped, "It's not like we haven't done this before."

"This time we're older, though," Mike cautioned, "with backup that's still wet behind the ears, no less." Shaking his head, he suggested, "Might be to our advantage to take Rama along with us on this one. She's had enough recent experience where she'll be an asset."

"I don't know, Mike," Leo sighed, "I'd hate for anything to happen to her where I'm still trying to find a way to send her back home."

Raph snorted, "Don't say that too loud, bro, not with my son so emotionally tied to her."

"Sorry, Raph, but I gave Ramiela my word and I'll do what I can to help her find a way back to her family." Leo shrugged.

Rahab stood up as she said, "Well, regardless if you can get Ramiela home or not, it's enough to know that Don is alive or, at the very least, not as _dead_ as we were led to believe. For that, I'm grateful."

All three turtles nodded in agreement upon which Rahab then asked, "So, how long before they get here?"

Mike answered, "In about an hour."

"Good…" his wife replied as she walked out of the room, "just enough time to catch a nap. I'm exhausted from watching you fellows dig that shell up yesterday morning."

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Thomas had taken Don's death quite personally. He had been with the billionaire for more than thirty years and considered himself privy to many of Don's quirks as well as his personal angst. In fact, decades earlier he had come upon Barra's suicide moments after she had tried to kill Don and it was Thomas's quick actions that virtually saved his employer's life. Consequently, Donatello's death left a fevered desire in the valet to determine who had done the cowardly deed.

The man was well aware that the events leading up to Don's demise was worse than the usual threats they usually encountered, far worse in fact. Even though he knew his employer was well trained in the ninja arts, the recent threats from a few weeks ago were not to be ignored. Just the same and despite his pleas with Don to avoid being in one place by himself – even in his own penthouse - Thomas could not help but feel as if he had failed him and his family. Despite Leo's kind words, Thomas still felt he had neglected to remain more alert. Consequently, from the moment it was determined that Don had died in the blast, the valet had thrown everything he had into the investigation. He had tracked down all possible leads and had followed any rumours offered to him. He had even left generous reward promises to those businessmen whom he considered trustworthy and a few with those whom he suspected. Saying nothing of his concerns, Thomas hoped that one might take the bait and offer up enough information to convict them or, at the very least, point the way to the guilty.

However, Raphael's phone call about the shell being exhumed was unexpected. Nevertheless, Thomas was, of course, pleased to learn about Leo's vision. Shortly after arriving and learning that the carapace was more than likely a fake, the news gave Thomas hope that Don was alive. It only spurred him on in his quest to find the culprit as well as his employer. He and Gaele had then returned to Osaka with the shell; she to do further testing and he to dig deeper into Don's business files for leads.

Now, as the sun neared noontime the following day, he and Gaele finally returned to the Ryu. As they exited the sedan, they found Mike, Raphael, and Leo waiting for them. Without a word, the five retreated up the hill and into what was once Master Splinter's home. They then sequestered themselves away from the rest of the family for the next several hours. During that time, Gaele showed off her findings about the carapace and Thomas shared with the three anxious turtles the new information he had just received that morning.

---------------

Prior to their return, a high level of anxiety had hung over the family compound like a suffocating wet blanket. Tempers had flared up earlier between the turtles as the desire for retribution increased. There was also a strong undercurrent of edginess that added to the discontented feelings of the clan. It seemed to pit one against the other as the stress levels magnified. After the phone call from Gaele, Mike and Raph ended up having a few heated words, with Raphael storming off on one of his long walks. Mike had then shoved his headphones on, losing himself within the music of his CD's and virtually ignoring everyone else.

Rahab and Riahna retreated to their rooms, with Gabby, Mindy, Jordan, and Cassandra doing likewise to theirs. It seemed as if the women of the clan were unwilling to bear witness to the aggressive or reclusive displays the men were exhibiting.

Rama and Devon decided on a quiet walk together, if only to bolster each other for the coming assault. Even Seth felt the need for action, resigning himself to the dojo as he worked out his frustration through a series of difficult katas. Leo ended up joining him if only to help his son work out the tension, which was what he often did in his younger days with Raphael.

During one sparring bout, Leo managed to upend Seth with a swift tornado kick. Its force sent his son sprawling unceremoniously across the mat and landing hard on his backside. Leaping up almost immediately, Seth charged his father in unrestrained anger, yet was again met with the same results. After Seth's third meeting with the ground, Leo ordered, "Stay down, Son," and went to stand over him. "Tell me what you did wrong," he asked.

Seth looked up, his breathing hard with a thick sheen of sweat coating his skin. Glaring at his father, he spat out, "Letting you spar with me, for one."

Laughing a little, his father replied, "Besides that. What else did you do wrong?"

Shaking his head and sucking in a large breath of air, Seth admitted, "I don't know, I was too angry with your butting into my workout. I was doing fine by myself."

"Correct and – not so correct." Leo simply said.

Sighing, Seth realized that it was his anger which had upended him, not his father. "Okay, point made. But, you did butt in," he smirked, accepting his father's proffered hand to stand back up.

Once his son was vertical again, Leo replied, "Seth, this is my ryu, my dojo, you're my son and we're going into battle. My butting in isn't half of your problems. Before I will even consider you part of the team, you're going to have to get your mind focused on the task. Keep what you're feeling out of the equation. If you let your anger get involved, disaster will only follow." He looked amusingly at his son and smirked, "Usually, I have this problem with Devon."

Looking away, Seth swallowed, "I know. I'm sorry, Father. It's just that…" He looked back at Leo, his expression tight and worrisome. "It's just that – I'm a bit – afraid. The battle at Mike's was different, where we were protecting our property, our family. I knew what I had to do, with Gabby and all. This – raid we're going to be doing, is different. We're the ones bringing harm this time."

Leo shook his head, "No, Seth, it's not different. We're still protecting our family. Whoever it is who has Don, they've already committed themselves to a rebuttal from us." He then took his son and hugged him, "And don't worry about being afraid. If you weren't, I would be more concerned."

"Why? _You're_ not afraid, are you?" Seth asked as he pulled away from his father.

"Me, afraid?" Leo became more serious, "You bet. I'm afraid of losing you, Devon, Rama, anyone of us. There has never been a battle where any of us weren't afraid. Not one. Being afraid will cause you to think about your actions before making them. Being afraid will force you to consider alternate ways of getting the job done without violence. Being afraid will force you to work as a team, rather than by yourself. That is the second mistake you made today. You cannot do anything by yourself, even ninjitsu." He looked long at Seth and smiled, "We're a team, whether at home in the dojo or on the battlefield. We work as one, Seth, but we're never alone."

Nodding, Seth only replied, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Leo laughed, "If your Uncle Raph was here right now, he's say 'ain't that the truth," where upon Seth joined him, as he, too, chuckled.

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During her stay, Rama had been impressed with how even tempered Raphael was compared to her own uncle in her world. Even their confrontation, when she first arrived at Mike's, was subdued in comparison. Yet, the heated words he had said earlier to everyone before he stormed off showed signs of impatience. Although he was still not acting anything like his younger twin, who would have handled things in his own abrupt way, Raphael's display of frustration had been quite impressive nonetheless.

Still, it was only the anxiety and tension of preparing for battle and then having to wait which intensified those feelings. Rama loved to term it, 'the before-battle-jitters.' However, she still had to fight to control her tongue and not feed into her own personal nervousness.

Now, with Gaele, Thomas, and the senior members of the clan locked away in Splinter's house, it was a telltale sign that soon it would be time to act. The remaining ninja, along with the women, would just have to wait for the official announcement. As a result and to help make waiting easier for them, Rama and Devon decided on taking a walk.

Leading her around the landscaped grounds of the Ryu, Devon walked alongside Ramiela. With their arms entwined with each other, they were an obvious couple and quite conspicuous, given the abstinent nature of those who resided year round. She was personally glad to get away from the main area of the family compound, especially with the amount of stress that seemed to take hold of everyone. "_For a place of enlightenment and peace, there sure is plenty of tension," _she mused to herself.

Rama held Devon's hand as his tail slashed the ground lightly every so often, his body slightly tenser then normal. She turned to look up at him, smiled a little and then asked, "You think Sensei will let me join in the fun?"

Devon glanced at her "You sound as if you're eager for this?" he grinned ruefully. Swallowing he lowered his gaze as they followed the path around a small lake. As he glanced back up and across the expanse of water, he took note of a pair of swan that swam lazily across its midsection. Trailing behind them were a half dozen newly hatched cygnets. The feathered family cruised gracefully through the waters of their refuge, safe within the confines of the Ryu from both predator and famine. Though he knew his father and uncles had tried their best to provide a likewise environment, Devon wondered if they would ever enjoy the kind of contentment that they had fought so hard to gain.

Rama nodded, "I didn't realize how much I missed fighting. You know, throwing yourself into a life or death struggle, matching wits and skill against an opponent. Oh, and the adrenaline rush." She then sighed as she noticed Devon's less than enthusiastic expression, "I guess you think I'm kinda weird about that huh?"

Devon snorted and then smiled as he teased, "Your weird anyway, Rags."

Rama elbowed him in rebuttal. "Watch it, Lizard-boy" she joshed and then laughed before going slightly more serious as she stated with pride, "I'm a warrior born and trained, Devon. There is no greater honor than to die in battle."

"Yet, even ninja have their peaceful side." Devon countered, as he softly looked down at Rama,

The kunoichi nodded, "I know that. I have enjoyed the peace here and back in California too, but I want to help free Don. I just don't know if Sensei will allow me to." Rama was fully aware that it was up to Leo as to who went on the rescue mission – and who didn't. It was his role as Jonin to do so.

Devon arched an eye ridge "Why wouldn't he?"

Rama explained, "For one thing, he promised to return me safely to my family, if he could. He can't do that if he places my life in danger." Rama then went on to say, "But I'm used to these sorts of risks at home." She then grinned a bit as she said rather smugly, "I've never cared to be left out of any battle, as it is!"

Devon brought her close to him as he stopped alongside the lake. Looking deep into Rama's eyes, he said, "Don't worry, my love, nothing could happen to you when you fight with us. We have the perfect insurance, you know." He paused and bent to nuzzle her neck, whispering into her ear, "You are still a virgin and I am not about to let you die that way."

Rama laughed as she turned to hug him, she laid her head against his chest. "I love you so much, Devon" she murmured content in his embrace.

He caressed her face with his hands as he remarked, "Besides that, you have seen more battles and have fought far more frequently than either Seth or I have" he admitted, "which means Leo will probably want you along."

Rama pushed Devon gently away as she smirked at him, quipping, "I am far more interested in **you** wanting me than Sensei. I just don't want to miss out on all the action"

Devon grinned at her, "You can count on both."

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By the time they had returned to the family compound, the senior members of the clan, with Gaele and Thomas in tow, were all ready there. They were just filing into what was Mike and Rahab's domicile when Devon and Rama crossed over the koi pond bridge and saw them. Hurrying to catch up, the two followed the group of five into the house, both sensing a great anticipation.

Leo led the way into the living room, where the remaining family members were. As he stood by the doorway to usher his brothers, niece, and the valet inside, he smile tightly at Devon and Rama as they filed in as well. That alone told Rama quite readily that a conclusion had been made. It was quite obvious something had been decided.

As she and Devon sat down on the tatami mat in front of the futon, upon where Rahab and the other women sat, Rama noted that everyone was present and accounted for. Even Mindy and Jordan were present, although Jordan was mostly asleep in his mother's arms. Rama then gently reached out with her senses and was immediately impressed with the fact that everyone seemed to have finally calmed down. Whatever the news was, Rama was certain that it would be good.

Seeing where he had everyone's attention, Leo began, "Thomas has determined through back tracking phone messages and conversations, along with tips fed to him from reliable sources, that Don is being held in the Philippines; Busuanga Island to be exact. There's an old Japanese airbase there that was abandoned shortly after the U.S. began their Pacific campaign during the later half of World War Two. From there, about a mile up the mountain is the stronghold. It's virtually invisible from the air, given the dense jungle that surrounds it." Then, he nodded towards Thomas, who handed off five pictures to the other members of the clan.

As the packet of photos made their rounds, audible gasps were uttered as each person looked them over. Rama's curiosity was nearing its zenith by the time the pictures were in her hands and it was then that she understood everyone's reactions.

The first photo was of Don. He was lying on his back, shackled to a bed with chain restraints, and he seemed to be either sleeping or unconscious. He also seemed thinner and it appeared as if he had been beaten or tortured, if the discolorations along his face and body were an indication. It wasn't a photo that was trying to show any particular aspect of him, but more like one where the camera had been concealed and the picture taken when an opportunity presented itself. Then, the next four pictures showed various views of a military style compound, complete with fences topped with razor wire.

As Rama and Devon both looked over the photos, Leo went on to explain, "Thomas just received these pictures when he returned to Osaka after the funeral. The person who supplied the pictures did so in response to the reward that Thomas offered right after the explosion."

Cassandra suddenly asked, "Despite your 'vision', Leo, how can we be certain that Don is still alive? Maybe that picture was taken before they killed him? Can you even trust the person who gave Thomas the photos?"

Leo shook his head as he replied, "First, I trust my visions; they've never been wrong. Second, don't forget about the fake shell, Cassie. The only reason for anyone to do such a thing is to avoid causing suspicion and force our hand to find them. Creating that shell provided us with the means to believe that Don had died. Thirdly, though we do not know how old the picture really is, from how thin Don looks in the photo, we believe that he's been held captive for about two and a half weeks, shortly after he made his meetings in Japan."

Mike's eye ridges shot up and so went his hand, but before Leo could call on him, he blurted out, "That's impossible! I talked with him on the phone, a week before we took Rama to Cassie's the first time." He looked at Rahab, "That was – what – less than two weeks ago, right?"

Rahab nodded, saying, "Yes, I answered the phone in fact. Spoke to him myself." She was just as confused as her husband was.

Leo shook his head, "Well, the pictures show that he's lost a lot of weight and that could only come from starving. It would take two or three weeks for him to look the way he does and where he was at Mike's almost month ago…it's the only explanation. Whoever has him might have had him drugged or hypnotized or even threatened him if he didn't act normal. If they wanted to throw us off as to when he was abducted before staging the blast, it would make sense." He turned to Cassie and answered her other concern, "As for trusting the individual who supplied us with the photos, he knows that when Don is rescued alive, he will be given double the reward money. It's in his best interest to be forthcoming and to make sure that Don is kept alive. Then, he turned to Thomas, "Thomas, when was the last time you saw him?" Leo knew, but he wanted the rest of the clan to hear what information the man had supplied him with.

The valet bowed a little, to acknowledge Leo's question, and then answered, "As I stated earlier, nearly three weeks ago. He had a series of business meetings, one being with a Mr. Musha concerning financially backing a genetics research project. During that time was when he started receiving threats. However, despite our best efforts, we could not figure out where or who the threats were coming from."

Thomas looked around the room and then continued, "I only met Mr. Musha once. After that, he insisted one-on-one discussions with Mr. Tello. I was not in favor of him meeting with Mr. Musha under those conditions, but – your brother was quite insistent. It seemed that whatever 'proof' Mr. Musha had to validate his research was enough to be convincing. I believe Mr. Tello's willingness to cooperate was that Mr. Musha said he had a breakthrough in cross-species genetics, but he needed more money in order to finance his research." He glanced over at Leo and added, "He left me explicit orders not to disturb him while he was in his den while he went over Musha's findings. The trays of food I left for him outside his door were always taken in after I left and then reappearing empty hours later. It left me with very little concern that anything was wrong. Considering what the research promised, I can only assume he wanted to make absolute certain that it was genuine. I am well aware of his interest and reasons for such ground-breaking results." Thomas then caught the subtle nod of concurrence from the others.

Don's interest was more than just casual, though; it was almost desperate. Call it survival of the species, but it was a given that unless some way was found to make them compatible with the human species, their own was eventually doomed to extinction. Even with Mindy and Jason's hybrid genetics, they would only be able to mate with humans where they were related to everyone else of chelonian bloodlines.

Seth raised his hand and when his father acknowledged him, he asked, "Have you been able to contact this Mr. Musha since the explosion?"

Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "No, in fact it seems he has completely disappeared. It was during the last twenty-four hours when I made the unfortunate discovery that he never existed. His office downtown was virtually cleaned out, not even a shred of paper or even a fingerprint was left behind. I had the company forensics team go in and do a complete and thorough inspection, too. Whoever this Mr. Musha was, he used an alias and the business he supposedly owned was only a front. We always do background checks and by whatever measure was used, he made himself appear very authentic."

Devon was next as he raised his hand, asking Thomas when Leo nodded his way, "So, how do you know that Don's in the Philippines?"

Thomas sighed, saying, "Those buildings in the pictures are indigenous to Japanese construction. Moreover, I am a student of World Wars, especially ones where my country was involved with." Smiling thinly, he added, "Japan had a base hidden on Busuanga Island, until the U.S. discovered it. It was one of the first from my country to be destroyed. There are many shipwrecks off the coast that are now used for wreck diving, a curious pastime it seems." He smiled a little broader, "However, I am quite familiar with this particular base." Thomas hesitated for just a moment before finishing, "You see, my grandfather died there."

A gentle hush settled upon the clan as the valet's words sank in; it was obvious that he was by far the most informed out of all of them. With his own personal knowledge of the area, it was clearly understood why Thomas's findings were being considered. Moreover, the pictures did well to impress upon the family the need to rescue their fallen comrade post haste. Considering Don's pale and thin personage depicted in the photo, it was clearly understood that time was of the essence.

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**RAMICA'S COMMENTS:**

**Pretender Fanatic**: Yes the end draws nearer. Hopefully your questions will all be answered by then, if not send us an e-mail and we will see what we can answer and where. You want a sequel? Right now we just want to get through this one after that I think we have plans to move on to other stories. A sequel might come sometime in the distant future but I can't promise anything on that. A gratitude for your insight.

**TBreader**: He is alive for the moment. We think.We hope. Maybe. Keep reading for final results. A gratitude for your insight.

**Teddybear888**: Did we say he was dead? Possibly we did but where would the suspense be if we just out and told you Don's alive they have to rescue him. That would have spoiled all of our fun as well as your joy at Don being alive. A gratitude for your insight.

**Lunar Ninja**: A wonderful job of playing catch up and review at the same time. Yes a carapace is the upper ( back) shell on a turtle. The plastron is the lower ( belly) part of the shell on a turtle. Sacrilegious a new word of the day. A large gratitude for your many insights.

**Sailor Vegeta**: Very close to what is in mind yes. So glad you came back in spite of how depressing things have been, for you will never know the ending if you hadn't returned. A gratitude for your insight.

**Danceingfae**: Yes very exciting stuff going on so glad you came back to join in the fun. As to the rescue mission you might have to wait a bit but hopefully we will make the wait worth while. A gratitude for your insight.

REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:

PRETENDER FANATIC: Ah, sequel? Heart starts to pound in anxiety Do you know how long we've been writing this? Yeah, too long! :0) Well, glad we gave you a lift. As for your questions, I agree with Ramica. If by the time we tag a 'The End' to this and we haven't answered your questions, then fire away. Or, if you think we might have a plot hole, fire away before the end. They do happen from time to time. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

TBREADER: Yeah, Don's alive, or so it seems – for now, anyway! Bwahahaha. Keep reading and maybe you'll find out for sure. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

TEDDYBEAR888: Partly alive means – what? Hmm…we said a lot of things, but just because it's in print doesn't make it gospel. LOL Yeah, we needed something to identify the shell as a fake and that idea came early on. So, now it's nearly full circle. As for that one shot, we'll have to think about it. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

LUNAR-NINJA: Sacrilegious adj : grossly irreverent toward what is held to be sacred; Violating sacred things; polluted with sacrilege; involving sacrilege; profane; impious. "profane utterances against the Church"; "it is sacrilegious to enter with shoes on" syn: blasphemous, profane Yeah, digging up a body after it's been buried, even if it's just a shell, would be considered such. So, again and as Ramica mentioned, a new word for the day. We'll, I think Ramica handled the carapace thingy rather well, so I'll just say, we'll get him rescued – do or die – eventually. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

SAILOR VEGETA: Hmm…we can't get much passed you, can we. LOL Well, I would be interested in why you left in the first place ( if only to guide my own writing with what with readers ), so if you want to E-mail me your concerns or reasons, I'd be more than open to it. My e-address is on my site. Well, we know we surprised a lot of readers with Don's supposed demise. Glad you're back, though! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.

DANCEINGFAE: Yes, a lot has indeed happened. Maybe too much, actually, but the muses lead where they do and so we can only follow along like dumb little sheep! LOL Glad you're happy about Leo's vision and Don's obvious resurrection. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.


	54. Infiltration, Ninja Style

**DISCLAIMER:** We do not own any tranformed shadow warriors, they happen to be the property of Mirage studios. Meaning that ninja turtles are nothing more than a mirage. We have only borrowed these fig leafs of the imagination to play with our OC figleafs. Enjoy.

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**Chapter 54 – Infiltration, Ninja Style**

Devon had insisted upon it, yet Rama wasn't sure if she wanted to, considering her heightened anticipation of battle. However, the allure of the Ryu with its gardens and small lakes, the quiet and solitude it offered was hard to resist. One last time, as a couple and before their relationship changed to warriors for the mission ahead, they walked arm and arm. Together as one and for the first part of their brief sojourn, they were reflective and quiet. It was almost as if they wanted to soak in the peace and tranquility of the retreat before they became 'ninja on the prowl'.

They had only an hour before Leo would want them back and then they would be off for Osaka to board one of Don's jets for Manila. From there they would take the Dauphin AS365, one of Don's multi-passenger helicopters, and head south to the island of Mindoro. At that point they would then boat sixty miles southwest towards Busuanga. Once they arrived, they would tie up just a bit south of a town named Buenavista, a fishing port along the northern side of the island and which was nestled within the safety of a small harbor. Then, with the information supplied and Thomas's own understanding of the island itself, they would hike inland up the rugged mountainous terrain through the jungle.

According to what the valet knew from the informant, the base was well hidden within a shallow jungle canyon and near the headwaters of a major stream. During the early stages of World War Two, it had been used as a prison for those determined to be the greatest threat to Japan. Sequestered away within the jungle canyon, it was nearly invisible to the naked eye and now a forgotten relic from that conflict. Currently and from what the informant had told them, it seemed to be housing a combination of allegiances, both remnants of the Foot and a terrorist cell, the one the man belonged to. What their agenda was, it was still a mystery as the informant refused to say. Yet, whatever their plans entailed, re-creating Don's carapace took a lot of science to do. Considering Don's affinity for security, Raph's imagination could only assume government infiltration at the highest level.

Now, all they had to do to reach it was to follow the mountain up to that point where the stream began and then a mile west beyond it where the compound was hidden. It was impressed upon all of them that the hike would not be easy and that their climbing skills would come into play.

Once Leo had explained their task, Ramiela was nearly coming out of her skin with excitement. Her enthusiasm and anticipation was easily felt. It drew amused looks from Leo and his brothers and groans from the two other members of the team that assembled. Seth sighed audibly and Devon could only shake his head. He then hugged her, trying to understand how anyone could look forward to such uncertainty.

Given Devon's own inexperience with these ventures, Rama wasn't too surprised with his lack of passion. He had been raised in a world of plenty, safe from the kind of battles and confrontations she had grown up with. Other than his experience from three years prior, Devon had very little need to fight for his life. It was easy, then, to see why he was more anxious than excited.

"Hey, it's gonna be fun, Dev!" she encouraged. "Once things start to heat up, once you dip into your ninjitsu, you'll be surprised with how 'into it' you'll get." Rama looked at him and smiled, "I was nervous the first time I fought until my training took over. Then, it just – flowed."

"Easy for you to say; you've had countless battles under your belt since then." Devon sighed as they left the meeting, "This will only be my second one. My first experience had me skewered to the ground."

Rama winced, recalling what he had told her while they were still in California. She remembered him telling her how he had accidentally impaled himself during his first sortie three years prior. Actually, except for the injury itself, the whole scenario seemed rather funny to her. Blinded by a flash bomb used to disable his family, Devon said he had tripped over one of the intruders after Seth had knocked the assailant out. It was a simple case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He really couldn't even claim it to be an injury earned in battle, for the weapon wasn't even in use. With its sharp end tipped up at an angle as the rest of it leaned against the fallen adversary, Devon's own fall forced it through him. It was only a miracle that major organs and arteries were spared. As a result, a rather nice scar along his side left him with a reminder of his experience, one that he was now proud to own given Rama's personal reflection about such matters.

She smiled a little at the recalling and as she and Devon strode along the bridge, it was then when he insisted on walking the Ryu grounds.

Now they were presently skirting around the edge of the small lake.

Finally, after enduring many minutes of quiet, Ramiela gave Devon a hug and said, "I hope we come back here; it'll be a perfect spot to recover after the mission."

"Yeah," Devon replied, somewhat dispassionately.

Rama looked at him and forced him to stop, ending up beneath one of the mimosa trees that grew thick along that particular side of the lake. Puffs of pink pincushion flowers dotted the grassy ground. Their long, seed-casing counterparts hung like brown stalactites from the branches above, a promise for future saplings.

Ramiela then gazed hard at her beloved, catching his attention away from his worried thoughts of battle. "Hey, look at me…" she insisted as she cupped her hands along his face, turning it to force his eyes to hers, "we are ninja; don't forget that. You are Raph's son and if you're anything like my Uncle Raphael's children, you will overcome your fear. You are also the future jonin of your clan and I doubt very much it's because Gaele didn't want the job. You have had to prove yourself in training to convince Leo that you have the 'goods' to lead, so trust in his judgment."

Devon smiled wanly at her and nodded, "He's told me that I have the determination, but I need to control my temper first."

Smiling, she replied smugly, "A typical Raphael offspring. Yet, it's that same temper that will see you through the battle, too." Rama paused and then remarked, "Just don't let it control you!"

"Hey," Devon smirked as he resumed his walk, pulling her alongside of him, "After what you did to Cassie's shop - no problemo, Rags."

Nudging him hard with her hips, Rama replied, "Hey, Lizard-boy, if you don't want a repeat, quit calling me 'Rags', okay?"

Both chuckled as they continued their walk, but then, suddenly, they heard a commotion. It came from up ahead of them and around a grouping of bushes. It made a noise that sounded much like a '_whoop'_. Yet it was easy to discern that the '_whoop'_ was very distressed and strangled.

"The swans, something's happening to the swans," Devon declared in worry as he picked up the pace.

Rama followed as they ran towards the disruption. Coming around the brush, they soon discovered that one of the swans, the female considering it was the smaller of the two adults, lay mortally wounded. A movement to the bird's right caught both Devon and Rama's attention, however. The tell tale sign of red dashing through the underbrush made it obvious that a fox had invaded the Ryu.

"Ah, sh…" Devon began, but cut short his expletive. "Leo's gonna have a cat if a fox got in." He then went over to the dying bird to see if there was anything he could do for it. Suddenly, though, he was immediately reproached by the male. Coming out from the bushes and flapping his wings in threat, it was obvious he, too, had just arrived upon the scene.

Standing now between his mate and who he thought was the killer, the male swan waggled his neck threateningly at Devon. He snapped his beak, making a loud clacking noise as a result, and whooped a warning for Devon to keep away.

The ninja stepped back and allowed the male to do what he needed to, the warrior shaking his head in sadness, "Well, can't rightly blame him."

Then, turning towards Rama he declared, "Need to go and tell Leo. He'll want that fox captured and taken out of the Ryu." He looked back at the two waterfowl, the male now calling softly to his dead mate as she lay bleeding and still upon the grassy ground. "He'll want to get the surviving adult and the cygnets gathered up and housed to keep them safe, too. That is if that fox hasn't already taken the young."

Rama sighed as she looked upon the dead bird. It gave her an intense feeling of foreboding. It wasn't that she was superstitious or anything, but given the coming mission, this particular event was ill timed. She grieved for the male, who was now becoming aware of the female's demise. His whoop was now tinged with mourning as he serenaded her passing. His neck stretched above and over his mate, he grieved for his loss. It was sad and yet beautiful, too. She knew that swans mated for life and for one to lose its spouse was heart wrenching to witness. Yet, to understand and know that these two birds had committed themselves to each other was a wondrous part of nature that inspired her.

Then, to both Rama and Devon's amazement, five of the six cygnets came tentatively out from the underbrush. It was obvious, now, that the female had tried to protect her babies, only becoming the victim instead. If he hadn't had been interrupted, the fox would have had a feast beyond his own needs. Still, seeing only five of the young birds instead of the original six, it was becoming apparent that the fox had indeed procured a meal.

Then, making haste, the two ninja headed back to the family compound to alert Leo to the swans' predicament.

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He was not at all happy about the situation, but given the timing, there was little Leo himself could do. Giving orders to one of the devotees, he set into motion the capture of the fox while having the male swan and his young rounded up and kept inside their winter quarters. The female would be taken care of immediately so as to avoid the fox returning to his prey. It was grieved that one of the cygnets had been taken by the predator, but at least five remained. Hopefully, the fox would quickly be apprehended and removed safely from the compound.

Now, Leo's focus was on their appointment with Busuanga Island. Allowing Seth and Mike to say their goodbyes to their family, they and the rest of his team quickly piled into the waiting sedan. As they did, Rahab and the other women watched, with Cassandra standing to one side.

Cassie had wanted to go but Leo had forbidden it. More than anything she wanted to see Don and see him alive. It angered her that Leo refused to let her join them.

"You will only hold us back, Cassie," he had gently told her. "You have not kept up with your training."

"But, I can." she had tried to counter, yet Leo stopped her before she could say anything more.

"No buts. Given your slow anticipation to Ramiela when she tried to attack you in the shop, it proved to me that you are ill equipped. I'm sorry." He had seen the look of despair in her eyes and knew the longing she had for his brother. "I promise to bring him back to you – alive and in one piece."

It was the best he could offer and it seemed to placate her. Yet, sensing her disappointment was easy. Hugging her once, he smiled at her and then went to slip into the sedan. In less time that it took to take in a breath, the car soon roared out of the compound and through the front gates towards Osaka.

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Hours later under the cloak of night and with their black ninja clothing on, the team was now trudging up the northerly side of a mountain on Busuanga Island. Earlier, the boat trip in had nearly undone Ramiela where she had never been out to sea before. Considering the vessel that Thomas had procured, an unassuming derelict that threatened to capsize with each wave they encountered, it was a miracle they had even made landfall in one piece.

At one point during their voyage, Rama muttered between her bouts of sea-sickness, "Couldn't Thomas have picked a better sea-worthy ship?" Groaning in misery as she hung over the railing, she waited for Leo's reply. He and Raph had accompanied the kunoichi if only to make sure she didn't get pitched out to sea while she hurled as the ship rolled to and fro. It was Raph, however, who supplied the reason for the choice in transportation.

He looked at her with an amused expression, saying, "And, what, look like tourists coming in for a day of spear fishing? Considering our own uniqueness, the more we appear like locals the better. Anything fancier than this tub and we'd draw too much attention."

"Don'cha think mutant reptiles will do that anyway?" she complained before losing her stomach for the umpteenth time.

"Not if we're below deck they won't." Leo countered, "Thomas is going to put us in a little south of town proper. He knows a small inlet that's rather private and seldom used. Most of the fishermen keep to the well-worn docks near town, so it's to our advantage to set down beyond there."

"Well," Rama commented wryly, "you better hope that I get passed all this before we have to duck and hide. Otherwise…" she gave a baleful glance at the two turtles and sighed. Yet, she couldn't help but be mildly amused with the horrified look on Raphael's face. If she weren't so miserable, she might have even busted out laughing, but even thinking about that made her queasy.

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After Thomas had secured the boat in the hidden cove, Rama was quite grateful to stand upon solid ground once more. "Remind me to never go boating again," she bemused quietly as they started out. _"Oh for a mint right about now!"_ she grumbled to herself. She was still enduring the sour taste of bile in her mouth from when she had 'heaved ho' during their trip. _"I'm definitely not kissing Devon until I can wash out this mouth of mine," _she thought.

Raph smirked, slapping her on her shell in jest, which made her pale just a little from its affect. Maybe she was back on land again, but her stomach was still reminiscing about the rough ride between islands. "Unless you want your feet coated with whatever is left in me, I'd advise you to not do that again," she replied glumly, trying to keep herself focused on not getting sick.

"Just think, Rama," Raphael joshed as he looked down at her, "You'll have another boat ride to look forward to when we return home!"

She looked hard at her uncle's twin and groaned, "I thought the helicopter was going to pick us up?"

"Maybe, depends. If we're successful and take care of Don's captors, it will. Otherwise, we'll be retracing our steps all the way back to Mindoro!" He then laughed as he saw her face pale just a little. However, he decided not to torture the girl any more than he had to. It was enough payback for her April Fools prank on him to see her go even greener than she was naturally. "Actually, the informant told Thomas that the old Japanese airfield is about a mile further west of the compound. Leo's already planned on having the Dauphine meet us there." Then, he smiled once more at her obvious relief and picked up the pace a bit.

"So tell me why we didn't just fly here instead of _float_?" she groaned as she, too, sped up with the rest of them.

Leo looked back at her and cocked his head, his expression telling Rama that he wasn't pleased with her comment.

In defense, she held up both hands, declaring softly, "It was a rhetorical question, okay?" Shaking her head, she allowed Devon to wrap his arm around her shoulders as the two of them chuckled. "I'll be glad to get my land-legs back again, that's for sure," she sheepishly remarked.

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Soon, they were climbing the steep mountainside. Moving through the dense growth of trees, they were easily hidden from any casual observer. With the moon obscured by a thick layer of dark clouds, they really couldn't have asked for a better night for the mission. It was as if fate was smiling on them in return for their patience. Also, the temperatures were warm and muggy, perfect for those of reptilian blood, but hard on the one and only human in their troop.

Thomas was in excellent shape for a man his age, but he still cowed under the weight of the humid air of the south Pacific. If it weren't for the cloud cover that hid the quarter moon, it would have been easy to see the perspiration that coated his exposed skin. Considering that they were going stealth, there wasn't much skin exposed where he was wearing his black Shinobi Shozoku. All in all, it heightened Thomas's discomfort. It was only his desire to rescue his employer and bring him to safety that spurred the valet on. Therefore, despite the heaviness of the air weighing him down, he led the team swiftly up the lush mountainside.

Several hours later, they came to the headwaters of the stream mentioned in the informant's report. Leo knew instinctively where west was, but he still brought out a compass from his utility belt to make certain of it. He wore the belt around his midsection and which housed his climbing gear, a rally of shurikens, two short swords, and a canteen of water. Behind him upon his back were his twin katana swords.

It had been years since he had worn them like that. Yet, when he had strapped them on after disembarking earlier from the boat, he breathed a sigh of contentment. It felt like the old days all over again. Even though he relished the peace the past years had given him, a part of Leo longed for battle. He knew that in a short while he would get what his heart yearned, yet he also knew that he would willingly return to the quiet life in Japan. Despite the reawakening feeling of excitement for battle, Leo hoped that this fight would be the last for his family.

Taking care to tread soundlessly and after an hour of hiking, they came upon their target. Along the way, they had intercepted several proximity alarms, disengaging them effectively so as not to alert the enemy. Fortunately, despite their years, all three turtles were still able to sense the subtle vibrations of an electric field. It aided in the discovery of the sensors' locations. Even Rama had a hand in it, her physical self back to normal and sufficiently recovered from her seasickness.

With the structure hidden by the dark of evening and the thick growth of trees, Leo and Thomas slipped their night goggles on, which in turn told the others to do the same. As they all visually inspection the compound now and taking a bit of a breather to recoup their energies, they were struck by the size of the facility. They noted a thin ribbon of a dirt road leading up from within the embrace of the jungle to what appeared to be the front gate of the fortress. Leading away from it, the road itself seemed to run in a westerly direction. It seemed to lead down the mountain and towards where the air strip lay at the foothills, a mile away. By their observation, it followed the contours of the canyon as it disappeared in among the trees.

"Where does the road lead to again?" Rama asked as she thought about their escape.

Thomas whispered back to her as well as the others, "To that air strip I talked about where our ride will meet us."

Rama nodded her head as she chewed the inside of her cheek. Finally, she asked, "Then, pray tell, how are we to get Don down off the mountain if he's too hurt to walk?"

Shrugging, Thomas replied, "I believe that they have trucks inside the compound." Then, he focused once more on assessing their target.

Considering its location within the jungle, the fortress was huge by comparison. The walls were at least ten feet high and ran straight in opposite directions from the gate before working back and into the surrounding jungle. It gave the illusion of disappearing within the thick foliage, but in actuality, it surrounded whatever was inside. The trees were numerous and seemed to barely allow for the man-made edifice, yet, just the same, all members of the team felt an almost militaristic feel to the place.

The walls themselves were made of aged stone with newly appointed sharp razor wire running along its top. Multi-storied search towers made of wood were positioned around the perimeter with a spot light affixed to each roof. Currently, the lights were off with the towers unoccupied. It seemed that the clan was not expected and, more than likely, the inhabitants were sleeping.

Leo then nodded towards Raphael, who quickly disappeared among the brush.

Devon then leaned in towards Rama and asked, "Where'd he go?"

"Take out the lights. If they can't see us, they can't find us. Rules of engagement, Devon."

Nodding as if he had just remembered that fact, Devon murmured, "Yeah, I knew that."

Rama only smirked back at him in amusement. She could sense his inexperience, despite his training. What was it her sensei told her? _"One learns to apply what they've been taught only when that training is put to the test." _Rama leaned into her beloved and encouraged him as she whispered, "Much of what you've done in the dojo will be applied here tonight, Devon. You've never really had to use ninjitsu at this level. Yet, you are ninja; remember our first fight?" She smiled as he turned a grin towards her, "Yeah, something like that," she smiled, "It becomes automatic."

As Raph went to compromise the search lights, Leo motioned for the others to advance upon the wall. Along the way two motion detectors were discovered, almost by accident, but Seth managed stop Devon from tripping them. "For a future jonin, you need to be a bit more careful, bro." He seethed under his breath, "Keep in mind that your father hasn't even disengaged the lights, yet."

Growling back at his sibling, Devon grouched, "You want the job, Seth? I'd be glad to trade right now."

Smiling at his brother's obvious chagrin, Seth shook his head, "Nope, it's all yours; lock, stock, and barrel."

Leo sidled up next to his nephew and son and counseled the future jonin, "Calm down, Devon. Remember your training, okay? Keep in mind, we fight as one."

Sighing, Devon nodded nervously, "Yeah, I knew that, too." He looked at his uncle and commented, "We're you this nervous on your first mission?"

Leo leaned in and whispered, "I was this nervous with all of them, only I didn't have the life you've been leading to soften me up." He looked hard at his nephew and then reached over to squeeze his shoulder, "_Time_ to grow up," and then Leo went back to surveying the wall.

He could see a thin thread of reflection running along the top of the razor wire. He realized in that moment that it, too, was rigged with sensors, the thread actually being a finer wire than the one which graced the top of the wall. More than likely, it was electrified as well.

Looking over the expanse of the wall, Leo quickly found a week spot. It was right under the first look-out tower, well concealed within the framework of the wooden structure. It was would have been difficult to see, except by those who would be looking for such a thing – and Leo was. He then jerked his head in that direction to silently command the others and cautiously stepped towards the tower. The remaining team members obediently followed close behind him. However, he wasn't the least bit surprised when he found snap traps partially hidden in the brush around it.

As Leo crouched down to inspect them, Mike came up beside him and asked, "Think we could get a hook up on the wall and then just swing over?"

Shaking his head as he measured the distance, Leo commented, "Don't think so. Hope Raph saw these before…" but then he was interrupted as he heard a familiar footfall. Turning his head around, he saw Raphael coming up from behind.

"They're all over the place," he groaned as he crouched low to join his brothers, "no way to get passed them." Raph then looked at Leo and Mike, smirking, "Which means the lights are still operative. Now what?"

Leo had given much thought about the rescue, even before embarking on the mission. Considering who and what they had at their disposal, he had come to the conclusion that Ramiela would be useful to them. Where she had what most everyone else lacked, youth and battle experience, she would be an important asset. Basically, she was in peak condition for the sort of tactics they would need to employ. It was the only reason he could come up with to let her come along and as it was turning out, he was beginning to see her as his unexpected secret weapon.

Leo looked up at the trees and noticed several with branches that grew close to the wall. They seemed sturdy enough to support at least one of them, so he turned to Rama. Giving her a quick once over he noted that out of all of the team members, she was the smallest and therefore the lightest. "Think you could scale that tree and make the wall without tripping the alarm?"

Grinning from ear to ear, she exclaimed softly, "It's already done!"

With that, she disappeared before Devon could react. In no time they saw a dark shape snake along one branch that grew closest to the wall. It hesitated for a moment as it reached the end of the tree's influence. The large branch bounced up and down a little, giving Rama pause. Then, as it steadied once more, she leaped cat-like towards her target.

Rama seemed to hesitate only slightly in midair as she neared the razor wire. She quickly calculated where her feet had to go in order to avoid injury and tripping the alarm at the same time. As it was, this was child's play for her. Years of practice with infiltrating enemy territory had sharpened her ability to a fine point. Out of all of them on the team, she was probably the one with the most ability, if only for her more recent battle experience.

Rama landed deftly atop the barrier. Her feet straddled each side of the wire while her toes found purchase against the rough texture of the rock wall. She looked down to where she knew the others would be and gave a thumbs-up. Expertly balancing herself, she then made for the front gate, taking her time and keeping herself as low as the wires would allow. Feeling the familiar adrenaline rush of infiltration, Rama maintained her grip against the rocky wall. It was a feeling that almost made her giddy with excitement.

Edging closer to the front gate, she then chanced a look inside the compound.

Rama was immediately impressed with the size of the facility. It could easily house a small army. Still, what caused her to smile was when she noticed several supply trucks with canvas tops and a couple of Hummers that were parked along one side. The Hummers intrigued her and she thought they seemed large enough to hold the team if and when they managed to rescue Don and escape.

For that she was relieved. Without an escape plan, any mission was foolish no matter how noble.

Rama also noted several low slung buildings constructed of wood and complete with thatched roofs. She thought they were more than likely the barracks. They bordered each side of the facility just beyond where the trucks were parked and led up to a much larger residence.

The larger residence itself was three stories tall and was more imposing that the simple structures that preceded it. It was of cinderblock construction with a tiled roof that had upturned ends, typical of Japanese architecture. With her night goggles, she could tell that the building was old, if the moss and clinging vines were any indication. Two balconies were set along one side, one each at the second and third story levels; perfect for scaling and entering unaware. From where she crouched on the wall, most of the barrack windows were dark. However, the larger three-storied edifice had several that were lit, all downstairs while leaving the upper floors dark and – for her team – quite inviting.

Then, off to her right and near where the vehicles were kept, she noticed a solitary fuel pump, much like what a gasoline station would have. However, nowhere could she see any above-ground storage tanks. As she thought about it she realized then that, just as it was done at the service stations back in the States, the reserve fuel was more than likely buried in an underground storage tank.

_"Hmm…something to consider for later, if the need arises,"_ she murmured to herself.

However, just before she could even consider what advantage that would mean to the rescue, she had to stoop even lower. A sudden movement over by the larger house caught her attention. She held her breath in trepidation and froze.

Focusing her eyes, she spied a sentry as he came out of the shadows from one side the three-story. What alarmed her even more, he seemed to be carrying a rifle. Except for his weapon, the guard seemed less than threatening where he was lightly dressed for the humidity and way too casual. More than likely, he and his constituents were not expecting an assault nor did they look anything like the Foot. Watching him as she stayed as still as a statue, the man walked lazily around the eastern end of the building. Slipping around its side towards the rear, he moved away from her and eventually out of sight. Once she was certain he was gone, Rama continued edging towards the double gate again.

Reaching it, she looked down to see what kind of locking mechanism was being used. It was then that she nearly busted a gut. Instead of something high tech like what they had been encountering on the way in, what Rama saw was a simple double swing gate with a drop arm locking mechanism. It was so basic that it was almost medieval in design. Letting her team in would require nothing more than lifting up the hinged metal 'arm' from its housing. The gate would then split open much like the one at Leo's Ryu did.

Turning back to check the compound once more, she suddenly froze a second time. Rama watched a bit anxiously as the sentry came back around again but from the opposite side of the house. That told her the building was not as deep as it was wide. The man was obviously doing a parameter check and by his walk, seemed unaware of any impending invasion. She was thankful in that moment that the lighting was poor where she was on the wall with only the darkness of the jungle back-lighting her. However, much to her relief and as soon as he reached the front entry, he stepped inside the house.

_Good, just stay there for a moment and let me do my work,"_ she murmured silently to herself.

Rama easily and silently dropped the ten feet to the ground. Careful to stay within the shadows, she crouched in front of the gate. However, before she just up and lifted the gate-arm, she quickly inspected it to see if any triggers were attached. Shaking her head in amazement, she discovered that the simple device was unfettered with such electronics. _"Seems odd,"_ she thought to herself, _"a bit inconsistent, considering everything else they're using."_ With all the sensor alerts they had discovered along the way, she expected the gate, of all things, to be as well protected. _"Too confident in their other devices; how foolish of them," _she thought

Slowly and carefully, she lifted the arm up and out of its holder. As a precaution, however, she limited to how high up she allowed it to go. There was still a chance that an alarm of sorts was hidden inside its hardware. Just the same, she hoped that Leo had followed her progress and was now waiting, along with the others, for her to let them in. Cracking one half of the gate opened just wide enough, she held the arm up and watched in relief as each shadowed member of her team slipped inside.

As Raphael breezed by her, she could hear him mutter, "Too easy," and she had to agree. Something wasn't right. The gate should have been better protected, if not by electronic alarms, then certainly by guards.

Once everyone was safely inside, Rama quickly and silently closed the gate, but offset its arm to make getting out easier. She joined up with the rest of them where they were grouped behind one of the trucks. She watched as Thomas peered into the vehicle. He quickly looked back at the others and smiled as he mouthed, "Keys!"

"So," Rama began as she whispered question to Leo, "What's wrong with this picture?"

He looked at her and gave a small smile, "Too easy, like Raph said." He then looked around the front end of the truck. Seeing another sentry step outside the larger building, he quickly ducked his head back and flattened himself against the side of the vehicle. "One guard," Leo remarked as he gave a sidelong glance at the others.

Rama scowled as she remembered the sentry from earlier, "Probably the one I saw before letting you guys in. He didn't even look like Foot."

"Thomas said they've joined forces with a terrorist group. Guess that's how they get their funding, now, to survive," Raph muttered.

Rama shook her head in disgust. It was anyone's guess what lows the Foot would sink too. Obvious, even in this world, they were not an honorable clan. She snorted in disdain. Maybe it was easier for them to carry rifles - or align themselves with those who did and who only desired to create havoc.

As it was, Rama never did care for guns of any kind. Guns were cold and impersonal. They made death too easy and it didn't require a great deal of training to be able to kill with it. On the other hand, the traditional ninja weapons demanded a keen amount of skill to implement and through that training one learned respect. To kill with a traditional weapon meant getting up close and personal. Disarming or dispatching your adversary took work and was never meant to be easy. Honor was gained through the process, pride earned through the task of pitting one's skill against the other in time-honored tradition. To kill with a gun only developed arrogance in the one using it – a more despicable attitude, as far as Rama was concerned.

She then reached out with her senses. She knew that soon they would strike. She allowed her mind to touch lightly upon each member of the team, a mental high-five, or three, before the battle began. Rama then quickly turned around to give Devon a long deep kiss. "For luck," she whispered coyly as they pulled away from each other. Devon smiled languidly as he savored the lingering affects of her embrace.

However, Leo turned and gave her a dark look, "Rama, concentrate!" he ordered under his breath, using her shorter name to grab her attention. At the same time, he sent her a harsher silent rebuke with his mind touching hers and leaving a sterner imprint as a result, _"There are far more important things to attend to than romance!"_

Rama bowed slightly towards him in submission. Focusing her thoughts, she quickly dipped into her usual meditative state for the coming battle. Just the same, she did not want to go into the fray without giving Devon one final kiss for good luck. In spite of Devon's assurance from earlier, Rama was aware just how quickly things can change. Soberly she knew that one single action could turn the tide and, if that should happen, she wanted a remembrance of him.

Leo looked back around the edge of the truck once more. He soon saw the guard walk lazily around one end of the house to do yet another perimeter check. He looked back at Rama and asked, "How long did it take for him to do the circumference?"

Rama replied, "About two minutes, tops."

Nodding, he turned to his two brothers and nephew. On Leo's silent command, Mike, Raph and Devon slipped in among the other vehicles and along the perimeter, heading for the towers to disengage the lights. Soundlessly, the remaining team watched as the trio of ninja snaked their way up the towers, each warrior claiming a look-out. Working efficiently, they were soon making their way back down and moving on to the next set of towers. After a short while, Mike, Raphael, and Devon returned to the group behind the truck, each giving a nod that they were successful.

As Leo was about to motion them onward towards the other buildings, the thick cloud cover above broke open. Soon, the compound was flooded with the translucent light from the moon. The yard was now cast in soft shadows, making it impossible for them to advance upon their target. Consequently, they had to wait within the comfort of the truck's own silhouette before they could move. After a few minutes, the brilliant orb above receded behind another blanket of clouds, concealed once more and giving the team the advantage of the dark again.

Leo motioned for Seth and Devon to move forward, gently holding Rama back from joining them. "Let them do a perimeter search of the buildings, Rama," he ordered softly.

"But, they're not experienced!" she challenged worriedly.

"They can do this; trust them." Leo sternly said.

Rama was concerned that Devon's nervousness would override him. Yes, he was well trained, if their sparring matches in the dojo were an indication. However, this was the real thing and any slight mistake could cost them. Would they have the presence of mind to multitask, to keep their senses alert for anyone coming upon them while they checked out the barracks? She watched with Leo as the duo made their way to the first building. Like the jonin she was being trained to become, Rama assessed their progress as she would any of her own students. Her critical and anxious eye, however, was pleased to find that Devon and Seth were doing just as she would have done. Sticking to the shadows, they kept their posture low, but moved like a quick breath of wind. Not even a footfall could be heard by them and Rama was trying very hard to hear such a thing.

Satisfied, she finally relaxed and watched with pride as her beloved, with his brother behind him, checked out each and every building.

Devon, however, was finally feeling the adrenaline rush that Rama had mentioned earlier, only it was somewhat subdued with his task. His nervousness now gone, he had to think that the combined mental focus from the others had to have had an impact on his own. He had felt a burst of energy pulse through him while they waited for the cloud cover to pass over again. It was something like what he and Seth experienced whenever they did stealth exercises on the estate back in California. Only, this time there were six other minds that bolstered his resolve. That was what Leo meant when he said that they fought as one. Maybe they were many but they were all of one mind.

It was an exhilarating experience for him, all the way around.

As the two brothers finished checking the barracks area, Devon turned around and gave a thumbs-up to Leo. As he did, he found himself momentarily exposed as the cloud cover broke open again, illuminating his very position. At that same time, he felt a presence from behind him and close to the main house. Devon suddenly leaped into the slowly receding shadows and nearly bowling Seth over in the process. Although he was quite irritated, Seth kept his comments to himself. Following his brother, he dove for cover behind the fuel depot and out of sight.

Glaring at Devon, Seth mouthed his retort, "Keep better watch!" where upon, Devon narrowed his expression and seethed equally as silent, "I was."

Back at the main house, the sentry squinted against the darkness, "_"Thought for sure I saw something there,"_ he murmured to himself. Blowing a puff of smoke from his cigarette and looking over the yard, he adjusted his rifle against his shoulder. Then, he strolled away from the house and towards the barracks area, staying to the middle of the courtyard as he did. He drew on his cigarette again and let out a long plume of smoke as he passed each building, looking them over. The guard mentally checked each one off as he noted the absence of lighting from within.

Curfew was hours ago, yet it wasn't unusual for one or more of the men to still be up, something the sentry himself done at times. He considered the residents of each thatched-roofed house and smirked at the diversity that slept inside. Snorting in arrogance he thought about the way his group would use them. Still, he couldn't help but grumble a bit, considering the new alliance his people had joined up with. _"What in hell are we doing joining forces with a ninja clan anyway?"_ he seethed silently. The only consolation was the help they offered in capturing their recent acquisition. Additionally, the promise of gaining the security codes necessary to up the ante of his cell's global terrorist plans. _"If only for that…"_ he remarked in resignation under his breath.

Yet, before he could finish that thought and just as he came up to the fuel pump, someone grabbed him from behind. Before he could yell out, however, a hand clasped tightly over his mouth while another one – or was that two? Either way, there were more hands that had him than he could fight against. Just the same, he kicked and thrashed as he tried valiantly to fight whoever it was who had grabbed him. Yet, no matter how hard he fought, he was quickly overpowered and dragged easily in-between two Hummers. He tried to yell, but aside from the hand across his mouth muffling whatever sounds he tried to make, another one grabbed his throat. Now, as he felt the hand gradually tighten, he grew silent out of self-preservation. As a reward for his compliance, the vice-like grip lessened, yet it maintained its hold. Then, seconds before he was rendered unconscious, he was given a momentary look at his assailants.

That one glance alone was all that it took for the soldier to lose courage. Forever in his mind would he remember the green, elongated snouts, the blue hair, the deep threatening growls, and – most imposing of all – the sneering faces of his attackers. As the man's eyes went wide with unbridled fright and while Seth held him fast, Devon brought the butt end of his sai hard against the back of the guard's head, knocking him out. He collapsed in a heap, impotent to the invasion at hand.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ Of course Rama goes. Just try to stop her! She wouldn't be too happy if she got left out of the fun and games now. As for why they are hurting Don the kidnappers are after information Don can give it to them, so Don is unfortuantley having to face the brunt of things. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Gemdrive2000:_**_ No Don isn't in very good shape or in the best of hands at the moment but the calvary is on the way and hopefully it will change. I just won't promise how. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender fanatic_**_: What might we be forgetting besides our sanity I mean? I lost that ages ago. Kidnapping is a side line of mine. No just kidding don't send the cops after me okay? Actually, when you get down to it I think Reinbeauchaser wrote the kidnapping part. Hmmm perhaps she has done this before. **Reinbeauchaser:** Stop pointing fingers Ramica! Besides I go down I'm taking you with me! **Ramica:** I never said a word! Anyway a gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar-ninja:_**_ No problem. Always willing to explain our thinking, or big words that might otherwise stump a reader, though doing the reading you do. You must not get stumped often. Also I hate to say this but if you gut us like fish you won't get the end of the story any sooner you know? As for cliffies they ought to be expected as we near the end of the story. Hang on there is more on the way. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Danceingfae:_**_ Sheep? What sheep? I didn't see a sheep. Get those sheep out of here! _

_According to Reinbeauchaser, who has done **major** research for this story in many areas ( One of the many things I am truly greatful, and appreciate, for her help in writing this story.) , yes the base does exist. Now plans are underway and it is a race against the clock. As for you being patient it will be rewarded._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Hey, this story wouldn't be Rama-centric if she were left home and out of the action! As for Don being all right, that will depend and is a matter of opinion! 'All right' like in unharmed or 'all right' as in soon to be rescued. Hmm…we writers do have a lot of power in this, now don't we? LOL Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Hey, long time no see! Great you left a comment. Yeah, had to have a Leo/Seth 'group hug' in there somewhere, eh? LOL Well, we tried to be descriptive as far as what Donnie looked like; none too well, me thinks. Yeah, Thomas is a very minor OC, courtesy of Wendy Peabody. He is more silent, well, he's basically mute in her stories. Yet, in this one and considering how close he is to Don as an employee, he had to become somewhat more involved with this story than he would be normally. Just the same, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_Lunar-Ninja_**_: Ah, I love learning new word, makes my day. Cliffies are an author's best friend, especially on Fan Fiction. We'll do anything to keep the readers coming back for more, don't ya know? LOL Um, gut like a fish? I've gutted fish and it's – icky. Yikes, well, this chapter 55 is either the last or second to last chapter before the epilogue. So, hang on and hold on tight. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC:_**_ Hmm…well, if you want to e-mail me with your concerns, I'll be glad to consider your questions, although I won't divulge the way this story ends, however. As for 'expert kidnappers', I don't know about Ramica, but I watch a lot of Without a Trace and Alias (yay, it's back on again – my life is complete, now). Not sure if I borrowed any ideas from them, but it's possible those shows influenced me with this story. Glad you liked it, though. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_: Sheep?__ What sheep? I have to agree with Ramica, I'm totally confused by that comment. LOL Ah, but that's nothing unusual for me these days. Actually, Don is being held captive in the Philippines. I went there last summer on a mission's trip, so I thought I would use a little bit of that experience here. At least, as far as the humidity is concerned. The mountain-top base depicted in chapter 55 does not exist, best to my knowledge, but during the second world war, the Japanese did have coastal ports and bases along Busuanga Island where their supply ships fed their army (ammo and food). The USA discovered the base quite by accident during WW2 and basically did a Pearl Harbor on them. Now, it's used for wreck diving, a curious pastime that, quite honestly, does not appeal to me at all. However, there is reported to be an airstrip on the island itself and the sport of spear fishing is headquartered off the coast of the town named Buenavista. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	55. The Battle Begins

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Ah, owning something usually means possession of and there's a certain percentage of 'possession' that justifies the rightful owner. Unfortunately, I haven't a clue what that percentage is. So, with exception to our own OC's and the idea to this story, Ramica and I are grateful to Eastman and Laird for graciously 'looking the other way' in order to allow our musings to meander around their creations. Also, let it be known that there will be two more chapters after this one, and then the epilogues. Yes, we are closing in on the finish line. Hoorah for us! _

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**Chapter 55 – The Battle Begins**

After finding some electrical tape and a towel in one of the vehicles, they tied up the guard and gagged the man in case he awoke. Then, the two brothers placed him in the bed of one of the trucks, laying him unconscious and under a tarp that they found there. Both Devon and Seth knocked their fists together in triumph and grinned. So far, there was one less enemy for them to worry about.

Then, after making sure the way was clear, they headed back to join up with the rest of the team.

Devon smiled the biggest as soon as they arrived, where it was his first victory in the midst of combat. He easily felt Rama's pride for him, as well, even though all she did was grin back in response.

Leo nodded and smiled his approval and then, he focused his thoughts on the large house, a hundred yards away. He carefully watched the front door and the windows, allowing his senses to dwell on the enemy inside. He relaxed as he let his mind wrap around theirs and quickly determined that they were oblivious to the breech in security. Then, he gently tested to see if those inside were aware that the guard was missing.

Though he could feel his team's impatience to rescue Don, especially Devon's and Raphael's, it was important to determine what the enemy was aware of before moving further into the mission. From the start, Leo had wanted to keep their presence hidden for as long as possible. The last thing he needed to have happen was a fight this early in the rescue. Although he was certain Seth, Devon, and Rama could handle a battle this soon and still have something left for later, he was equally certain that he and his two brothers, as well as Thomas, could not. It had to be taken into account that they were not as young as they used to be. Moreover, keeping their position as unknown for as long as possible would ensure Don's safety. Leo was sure that if any of the Foot, or even the terrorist, received word that the fortress had been compromised, it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out by whom.

In the end, the enemy wouldn't hesitate to execute Don, if only out of spite and frustration.

Consequently, it was imperative that the team get as close to rescuing him as was possible, before blowing their cover. If all went well, then only those residing in the bigger house would even know of their presence. It was a long-shot to hope for, but where they were so close to getting Don back safely, it was what Leo was counting on. Considering the physical state his brother was apparently in, based on the one photo Thomas had shown them, the quicker they succeeded the better. Leo knew that his brother would not be in a position to fight off any attackers. Therefore it would take at least two of them to get him out of the building and to relative safety.

It was Leo's greatest concern to make sure that he returned Don in one piece, if not for the clan, then most certainly for Cassandra. After all, he _had_ given his word to her.

As the family huddled together, Raph nodded towards their target as he commented, "I think that guard was on a shift of some sort, so I don't think he'll be missed for a while."

"I haven't sensed any concerns yet from the main house," Leo nodded as he turned around to face his brother, "so, I think you're right, Raph."

"If that's the case, then let's go bash down the front door." Devon insisted eagerly, as he was anxious to get on with the mission.

His father glared over at him while Rama gave her beloved a disparaging shake of her head, "_Never_ go waltzing in the front or back door of enemy headquarters, Devon," she hissed reprovingly. "You do that and you may as well send an invitation to let them know you're coming."

To himself, Leo smiled at her remark. He then spoke, his voice soft and low as he gave out his next set of orders. "Okay, Thomas, your informant said that Don is below the basement. That means there's a room somewhere below ground. We can't infiltrate the main level since it's pretty busy right now. That means we're going to have to go from the top down on this one." Looking at each team member, Leo sternly said, "We're going for the west side of the house under the second-story balcony. Everyone remember - run silent," and then they were off, making for their target as dark as the night and as quick as the wind.

As Rama followed Leo towards the building, she couldn't help but smile to herself. How he worked through the shadows, the impossibly silent way he moved, he really was too much like her sensei back home. It was quite refreshing, in fact, to know that some things, no matter what world they found themselves in, were constant.

In no time at all they reached the house. They had successfully avoided all windows as they quietly huddled within the bushes and trees that grew alongside the building. Looking up, Leo saw the balcony above and smiled yet again. Things couldn't have been more perfect. Reaching out with his senses, he quickly concluded that the room with the balcony was presently empty, yet he could tell that it had been occupied earlier. The lingering after-affect of one of the soldier's chi was quite evident. Not knowing when he or others would return, they would have to move fast. He then glanced back at Mike and jerked his head towards the parapet.

Without a word and a clear testament to their years of working together, Mike slipped a grappling hook out from his back pack and quickly prepared the tool.

Rama curiously noted that the three-pronged hook, collapsed when not in use, easily folded out and locked in place where it hinged. The entire tool was also rubberized with the tips double coated. She watched as Mike swung the implement up by its rope to the first landing with practiced ease. His expert handling of the tool reminded her of her own father. Her dad was, after all, quite efficient with the device. With so many things a duplicate here in Devon's world, it was expected that her father's twin would be, too, as well.

In that moment, Rama remembered how much she missed her family and a feeling of desperate longing began to build up within her. Between the mission and working as a team again under the cover of night, it was all Rama needed to be reminded of how out of place she really was in this world. Although her love for Devon had certainly helped her adjustment, the past few hours rekindled her feelings of homesickness.

Just the same, she knew she couldn't afford to be distracted, so she pushed back the desire to focus on the task at hand.

As Rama watched its trajectory, the momentum of the grappling hook wrapped it around the railing of the balcony before the prongs snagged its trailing line, securing it in place. Mike then gave it a firm yank before looking back at Leo with a wide, triumphant grin. He mouthed the words, "Haven't lost my touch!" Leo could only shake his head and smile back.

Ramiela was quite impressed that, other than a subtle 'klunk', the hook's normally metallic clang was lost within the sound-softening rubber. She shook her head in wonder and then made a mental note to herself that if she should ever return home, she would bring back that bit of knowledge to her Uncle Donatello.

Now, one by one, they climbed upwards towards the balcony, looking like 'ninja on a rope' as the convoy of warriors ascended. Yet, Leo waited before bringing up the rear, a loaded dart gun at the ready. He wanted to make sure that if any other soldier should happen upon them, it would be the last thing the hapless human would know before rendered unconscious.

As the last member of his team made the landing, Leo began his own assent, taking the trailing length of rope with him to eliminate any evidence of their presence. However, nearing the halfway point, he suddenly sensed someone walk out from the front door below. Instantly stilling his breathing and staying relaxed, he felt the chi of the person as the soldier stopped and looked out across the courtyard. The rope swung a little bit since Leo's momentum in climbing up had created a slight pendulum affect. Slowly, though, the movement ceased as he focused on staying as stationary as possible.

He waited calmly, letting himself be one with the shadows that enveloped him. However, Leo had his blowgun at the ready, just in case. Shutting his mind down to non-intrusive thoughts, he could tell that the soldier's own was too chaotic and jumbled. It seemed to be unsettled with conflicting emotion to even be aware of Leo's presence. It was as if the man was torn about certain things and because of that, a bit of frustration was seeping through. Just the same, Leo figured that the soldier below him was probably looking for his compatriot that Devon and Seth had dispatched earlier. Because he did not know the habits of these people, Leo could only hope that sentry duty was as relaxed as the first guard had behaved. It was obvious to him that the first soldier Seth and Devon had taken care of and the one below were not Foot, not with the careless way they were keeping watch over the compound. How they were able to get away with it, considering with whom that they had aligned themselves, proved to Leo the poor leadership within the enemy clan.

Tense seconds past as he waited, not allowing one move or thought to betray him. He finally felt and heard the soldier continue on off the front porch. Leo looked down and watched as the man moved out to apparently inspect the barracks and quite possibly search for the missing guard. Leo then gazed back up and took note that Raph was watching the man as well, his brother's three-fingered hand ready to signal if the soldier should turn around. With a second pair of eyes keeping alert for danger, Leo continued his climb in silence. He soon made it soundlessly over the railing of the balcony, getting a congratulatory wink from his brother. Even with that, Leo still moved cautiously as he followed the others in through the balcony door that Devon had jimmied opened.

Now, Leo and the rest found themselves in what looked like a large darkened office. A mahogany desk and chair were along one side of the room with a bookshelf filled with books on the other. The French doors, which opened to the balcony, were the only opening to the outside. A single interior door opposite from there led to a possible hallway.

His team now stood off in the shadows of the room, waiting for his next set of orders.

Where Seth was closest to the inside door and upon Leo's nod in that direction, he rested his head lightly against the wood. He furrowed his brow in concentration as he tried to sense what lay beyond. After a moment, he commented to the others with a voice low and quiet, "I don't sense Don at all."

"He could be unconscious, Seth." Mike suggested comfortingly. "Besides, the informant did manage to get pictures of Don in here." Mike knew that it had to have been quite the feat in itself. Recalling what Thomas had shared, the man had been part of the terrorist cell yet had personally balked at joining up with the Foot. He hesitantly had told the valet that he thoroughly supported Don's capture, yet had also said he did not support the ideals of the ninja clan. After some time and, when he heard about the reward that was offered, he decided to change sides. However, not before he had procured the necessary proof that Don was still alive.

Of course, it wasn't lost on Thomas or the others that he could easily do likewise to the family. Therefore, the informant had been told that if anything were to happen to them, the man's life would be forfeited. Of course, Don's security forces were working outside the normal basic laws of humankind, which would have only slowed the process of rescuing Don to a snail's pace. Expediency was needed, so therefore Thomas had the man secretly sequestered under lock and key at a safe-house in Japan.

The valet then looked over at Seth and explained, "The informant said that Don is in the basement, somewhere below ground, and well guarded. It's quite likely that there are too many other minds to overcome and that's why you can't sense your uncle."

The young ninja nodded quickly, knowing that the valet was probably right. He then eased the door open a crack to check and see if there was anyone on the other side. When the way seemed clear, he then opened it a little bit more and slipped out into the hallway to do a perimeter check.

Seth discovered that he was at the end of a long narrow corridor with several doors along each side, more than likely leading to more rooms. He carefully walked passed the first two doors to sense if anyone was on the other side. Satisfied there wasn't, he then focused on his immediate surroundings.

With the hallway well lit, he could see where it ended several doors beyond with the passageway turning sharply to his left. Although he did not confirm it, he figured it was where the stairs were located. He could also discern that the hallway was wider there, more than likely to allow room for the second set of stairs that led up to the third story.

Yet, so far, it seemed as if they were quite alone for the moment.

However, just as he was about to walk back to the room to let the rest of the team know, the unmistakable sound of a footfall came to his sensitive ears. He paused and listened. Snorting in apprehension, he noted that it sounded as if there were at least two pairs of feet. He couldn't be certain if they had come up or down the stairs, but he did know beyond a doubt that they were coming his way.

Although he should have been able to slip back inside the room undetected, the sudden appearance of the two men gave him a start. _"How could they move so quickly if they don't know we're here?"_ Seth asked himself. Yet before he could think further about it, he knew that he had to take care of them before they alerted others to the team's presence. At the same time, it was perfectly obvious to Seth that these men were of the Foot, if their trademark black uniform was any indication. They had their masks off and thereby revealing their Asian ancestry, but their allegiance was unmistakable. As soon as they spied the young warrior, they jerked back slightly as if startled to see the humanoid iguana before them. Yet, it seemed contrived to Seth, as if they really weren't so surprised. However, instead of calling out in alarm, they chuckled and began their advance, full of confidence that they could apprehend him on their own.

Realizing that he had the advantage with his team hidden inside the other room, Seth relaxed. He could tell that these soldiers had an excess amount of bravado, where they chose not to call for reinforcements. As they approached him, their casual posturing was additional proof that this particular Foot gang was ill-trained. Just the same, if these two Elite practiced the standard rules of engagement, a call for back-up should have been their first reaction. It just didn't make sense. After all, it was easy to figure out that Seth was not working alone. To him, it said that this generation was more arrogant than the generation his father and uncles dealt with years earlier.

Either that or it was a trap!

Then, he had an idea. He decided that it would be to his advantage to play into their hands. Seth then begged softly and pleadingly, barely containing a smirk in the process, "Please, don't hurt me. I'm unarmed." Of course, with Seth's short sword and shurikens sheathed within the folds of his ninja Shinobi Shozoku, he appeared as such. He slowly backed up, raising his hands in surrender as he repeated his plea again. As he did, he brushed up against the door that hid his family.

The soldiers advanced and, as they drew closer, they behaved more confidently. They relaxed and flexed their arms, grinning at their opponent and appeared ready to have some 'fun'. Maybe, during the process, they figured they could gain a bit of respect from their compatriots with the capture of this foolish interloper. However, as they came even with the door behind which Seth's family hid, it suddenly opened. A green arm shot out from within and, before the man could even make a noise, Raphael grabbed hold of the one soldier closest to him. With a quick hard blow to the side of the head, Raphael knocked the Foot soldier out and dragged him inside the room.

At the same time, Seth suddenly spun around and slapped his tail out. His move tripped the second soldier too quickly for the man to react, sending him crashing to the floor. The soldier landed with a muffled thump, the carpet softening the noise. Yet, before he could right himself or utter a protest, Raphael was there in an instant, blowing a puff of sleeping powder into the man's face. In a second, the Foot Elite was out cold. Then, he, like his comrade-in-arms, was dragged into the office. Mike quickly tied the second man up like he did the first one, with Devon gagging the soldier with wadded up pieces of paper.

Seth now waited expectantly, watching the other end of the hallway while Raph stood guard. His uncle watched with him as he peered out the door from within the office. Both tensed as they anticipated more soldiers. As the seconds slipped by, however, it was apparent that no one else was coming. In relief, Seth exhaled and then gasped a bit as he inhaled a new lung-full of air. He hadn't known that he was holding his breath and smiled sheepishly at Raphael. His uncle could only shake his head in amusement while Seth went on to prudently check the stairwell, just in case. Keeping his senses alert, the young ninja edged to the end of the hallway and, crouching down, quickly peered around the corner.

Raph watched his nephew's progress approvingly. He was becoming quite impressed with this next generation of ninja in the family. Although he would like to see such activities cease, it was refreshing to know that he and his brothers would not have to fight these battles alone anymore. As he observed Seth, he saw as the boy gave the sign that the stairwell was clear.

Now it was Raphael's turn to a sigh of breath of relief. Giving the same sign back to the others in the room, the team quickly slipped out of the office one by one. Silently, they all crept towards where Seth waited for them.

As they congregated at the top of the stairs, they focused beyond the steps to the main floor below. They could easily sense a large group of soldiers gathered together there. Also, there seemed to be a feeling of anticipation from them, too, as if someone or something was expected.

Leo looked at Mike and Raph, then at Ramiela. All four of them gave a slight nod to each other. Raphael shook his head and mouthed what he had said earlier, "Too easy." Leo had to agree as did Mike and Rama.

The kunoichi focused hard on the stairs leading down to the first level. She knew that in order to save Don, they might have no other choice but to continue with their plans. Yet she cared little for the feelings she was sensing from below. The soldiers there were just too confident. As she turned her senses back to her team, it seemed that way to Leo and the others, as well.

The whole situation was beginning to smell indeed like a trap.

In response, Rama couldn't help but grit her teeth. "_We can turn this against them. My family has done that before and we really have no other choice anyway,' _she reminded herself, but it did little good to ease her irritation.

Then, without a word, Leo pointed to Rama and Devon, giving a nod to each. It was clear he was telling them to make the first move. Now, it was going to be their job to draw the soldiers away from the stairwell in order to give the rest of the clan more of a chance to get to the basement - and to Don. Having two of them, rather than one, engaged with the enemy would ensure that both Devon and Rama's would have their backs protected.

Again, rules of engagement and one that Rama was well versed in. Another wave of nostalgia swept over her, but she dismissed it as before in order to concentrate on her assignment.

His nervousness now gone and his resolve bolstered by his team's support, Devon was eager to get on with the rescue. He quickly gave a sharp nod of his head in accepting the assignment. He then glanced towards Rama to see if she was ready and smiled at her. In reply, she pulled the pair of sai from her belt. She then twirled them once in anticipation before returning them to their ready position, giving her beloved a similar expression. All of her equipment, including the pair of katana sheathed in a cross-wise way upon her back, was borrowed from the ryu for the mission. Yet, in that moment, they were hers and hers alone. Smiling in excitement, she was as ready as she ever would be and knew that now was the time for battle.

As if the two jonin had been practicing together for years, they moved off and silently descended the stairs as one. Going into full ninja mode, they both used that ability to put themselves into position without attracting too much attention from below. In that moment, Rama felt herself one with Devon as they moved. She knew then, beyond a doubt, that they were joined together more tightly than any physical intimacy could provide and it thrilled her like nothing else. It was the way her family would fight, mentally joined as one yet each doing what they were trained to do with their weapons. Once again, thoughts of home tried to invade Rama's concentration and, just as before, she strengthened her resolve to quickly dismiss them.

Racing off the steps, they soon found themselves in the main room of the building. Yet, before the soldiers were even aware of them, Rama and Devon had quickly assessed the large contingency of Foot gathered there together.

A half dozen soldiers were watching various monitors with several more viewing a large map of Europe secured to one wall. Two of those looking at the topographical relief were clothed in the simple garment that the outside guards were wearing, evidence that they were terrorists and not Foot. Another group of Foot, about ten soldiers, were near the front part of the room, standing around as if waiting for something. They seemed transfixed with looking out the front window, though, which seemed rather strange. Off to one side and by the front door, the two ninja notice about four more of the regularly clothed soldiers. Rama and Devon considered all of this in less time than it took for the enemy to notice them. Yet, more importantly, they saw the traditional weaponry lying about, with both warriors sighing a breath of relief.

Suddenly, one soldier happened to look up and right in the direction of the two intruders. In that moment, Ramiela and Devon quickly stood back to back with their weapons drawn in preparation to face all comers. In reply, the Elite who had seen them barked out an alarm. In an instant, a group of soldiers grabbed up their own weapons and charged towards Rama and Devon. The rest tore away from what they were doing, a well, and began to do likewise, running over to join the melee.

The sudden yell of anger coming up through the stairwell told Leo all he needed to know. The battle had finally begun. He immediately dispatched the second team, which consisted of Raph and Mike. It was now their job to draw some of the heat off of Rama and Devon, who were, by the sound of clashing metal, fully engaged with the enemy. It was going to be his two brothers' responsibility to get a few of the soldiers away from them, thereby increasing the chance of Leo and Seth getting to Don.

As Mike and Raph quickly descended the staircase, Leo could already hear the sound of metal scraping against metal as Devon and Rama fought the onslaught. Despite the obvious armament of the terrorist, he doubted very much that their soldiers would be using guns in this fight for fear of hitting their own people. He figured that they would probably use other means, such as knives, while the Foot would use the more traditional weapons of ninjitsu.

Leo waited until he was sure that Raph and Mike were in place before he and the third wave began to make their move down the stairs. Before he did, however, Thomas gently grabbed him.

Whispering, the valet declared, "I'm going back to the room. In case this draws any attention from the barracks, the last thing you're going to need is more soldiers. I'll keep as many at bay as I can with my darts!" and then he was off and running back towards the room with the balcony.

Leo watched him go and hoped that Thomas's skill with the dart gun would not be needed. Just the same, he was grateful that the man had thought ahead. He was right. More soldiers were not something Leonardo wanted to have to presently deal with.

Then, as he returned his focus back to the fight below, he knew that he and his son would have to rely on their stealth skills to remain as inconspicuous as possible. As difficult as it would be, Leo and Seth would have to allow the others to draw fire and distract their opponents away from them. In this way, they would stand a better chance of slipping into the basement without being seen in order to retrieve and rescue Don.

In that moment and as the sounds of battle heightened, Leo knew that getting his brother out of the compound and to safety was going to be the biggest challenge they had ever had to face.

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_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_

**_Danceingfae:_**_ When things are too easy especially in situations like this, then it practically screams trap. The turtles know that something is up and they don't care for it. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ Well we gave you and Rama some more action, and as you can see Rama is in the thick of things having a great time. Some animals do mate for life swans happen to be one of them. Kudos to Reinbeauchaser for writing that scene in. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Gemdrive2000:_**_ Rama misses playing the role of ninja and getting action it is her lifestyle. Being attached to Devon she is bound to find going home difficult. Personally I myself am scared of water so you won't find me on small boats, I probably would end up sea sick from it. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar-Ninja:_**_ We are nearing the end so we must have cliffies! Cliffies are imperative to a wonderful climatic ending drum roll please. Not to mention the fact cliffies are fun. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender:_**_ Well glad your worries are cared for. Forget returning Rama home much as Rama might want that I don't think it will happen. I doubt Reinbeauchaser will want to keep her. the extras ( swan and seasickness) was Reinbeauchaser's doing. I give her full credit for those scenes. A gratitude for your insights._

**_Lisa15_**_: Well it seems Don is alive for the moment. Hopefully the turtles will get to him in time. Do you hear that? Tick,tick,tick. Yes it is a ticking clock the turtles are racing against time. A gratitude for your insight._

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**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

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**_LISA15 – _**_Ah, you must have given a line for each chapter you were behind. Hey, don't worry about not reviewing each one, okay? Though we do like to hear from you, it's good to know that you are indeed reading. For that we are grateful. Visions, torture, rescue, death, and…well…we'll just have to leave it there. Can't say if they'll get to Don in time. So, keep reading if you want to find out! Thanks for reading and for reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DANCEINGFAE_**_ – Ah, okay then, mystery solved! :0) I understand 'silly' very well. Well, I didn't even consider Raph's first-movie comment when I wrote that. Yet, I'm glad I'm writing him somewhat consistently. Always a problem with me. LOL If you like excitement, I hope we write these ending chapters well enough to provide you with more. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

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**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_ – When I read your first line about 'Rama getting some action', other things came to mind. I'm sure Devon would have agreed with me, but we all know what you really meant. Swans do indeed mate for life. Considering they are a symbol of love, (check out wedding cakes and see how many are topped with two swans, their heads touching, and their necks arching to form a heart. Yeah, they are a symbol of long-lasting love). LOL Well, I kept thinking how sheltered Rama is in her other life and where she'd never even been on a plane before. It was easy to assume that she'd never been on a boat, either; especially on a choppy ocean. The waters around the Philippines are a fun ride, unless you get seasick easily. In fact, their boats are not very reliable as far as being water worthy. I did lots of research on this part of the story, not to mention the bit of info I gleaned while visiting that country last summer. Anyway, it was a done deal that Rama would, therefore, get seasick! Bwahahaha! Ah, so ya want more action? Then, keep reading! Thanks for reading and for reviewing. Be blessed. _

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_ – Hey, don't worry about the long span between reviews. You're reading so that's just fine with us. Ah, we had to get some 'scary' into the story. I'd be freaked out, too, if I had their mugs in my face like that! LOL Oh, Rama misses a whole lot more than lurking, as this chapter details a bit. Might be a foretaste of how she gets home, too, or not. She does love Devon an awful lot, now, doesn't she? Yeah, making her get seasick was pure fun and I loved milking it to the max, too. Thankies for the congrats! I was stoked and very surprised, to be sure. Grateful, too; yeah, who would'a thought I could win against such talented competition! Anyway, thanks for a reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

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**_LUNAR-NINJA_**_ – LOL, gad I'm glad I have 'innards'. :0) Though, a few weeks ago I wasn't – I had food poisoning; not a fun ride, believe me. Wanted to die! Anyway, cliffies keep ya coming back, don't 'cha know? They also give me the giggles – when I write them. Sad, very sad. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_ – Okay, so, that mystery is solved – sort of. It's still going to be a mystery, though, how she gets back if she does at all. I kind of like having her in this universe and I think Devon (and Mike) would agree with me. I'm not so certain I want her to go back. Hmm…then again, she does rather terrorize Ramica with that stupid contract thing. That writer really ought to put the kunoichi in her place; after all, without Ramica's writing, Rama wouldn't be what she is today. Ah, and we tried so hard about writing it, too. Well, at least you've found one of our chapters a fun read. :0) Tuesdays or Wednesdays; depends on my mood where I'm responsible for uploading the updates. If I have the story done, then I can't wait to upload it. I feel as if a weight has been lifted. Rama would have to experience seasickness where she's never been out to sea on a boat before. The swans were already a part of the story from the chapter before, so I decided to give them a second nod. Then, it just evolved from there. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	56. Hell Hole Rescue

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Even after all this time, nearly a year, we still do not own the turtles. They have been and always will be the property of Eastman and/or Laird (I heard rumors that one of them bought the other out) and Mirage/Foxbox/whateverthenewstationcallsitselfnow. I heard another rumor that Foxbox had been renamed. Pity. At least with Foxbox, I didn't have any problems remembering it. Anyway, an extra nod to Splinter/Terran who's website. Originally, I had Raph tossing the grappling hook. However, I discovered that Splinter had Michelangelo as the handler of the weapon. So, that's why Mike was featured. We failed to thank Splinter in chapter 55, so hopefully mentioning it here will appease the muses of litigation._

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**Chapter 56 – Hell Hole Rescue**

Slipping easily downstairs, Leo and Seth made their way onto the main floor. They stayed as much in the shadows as they could. However, as the father and son tried to sneak along the far wall where the shadows were deeper, at one point there was just too much light. Still, as they quickly took in the battle scene in the main room, it was comforting to see that the rest of the family were holding their own. It was then that Leo realized the majority of soldiers were made up of Foot Elite, with only a half-dozen terrorists to worry about.

Just the same, the quick movement of bodies and the style of ninjitsu he witnessed brought back a flood of memories for him. Flashes of past battles came to mind in that moment. Nevertheless, this evening he had a different agenda than just stopping the Foot. He had to rescue his brother and Leo could sense that time was slowly running out for him.

As he and Seth quietly moved passed the fight in the other room, Leo took a quick assessment of how things were going. He could see that Rama and Devon were fighting back-to-back, with Raph and Mike a few feet away. All were mindful of each other's presence and proximity as they furiously slashed and jabbed out at the enemy. Although the Foot seemed to be surrounding them, nevertheless, the four mutants were doing quite a bit of damage.

One Elite soldier suddenly leaped out of the fight to avoid Raph's sai. As he made an attempt to rejoin the battle again, he turned and caught sight of Leo and Seth. The man sneered contemptuously and drew up his sword. Swiftly moving towards them, katana in hand, the ninja went to prevent them from advancing any further. As he did, he barked out orders and commanded several more of the warriors to the hallway where the other two mutants were. Now, eight soldiers in black charged as one towards Leo and Seth.

Just before the fight spread out into the hallway, Raph's right sai flashed across in front of him, blocking a strike to his left. He caught his enemy's weapon with his own, while at the same time, his other sai slashed forward and down to cut a gash on the now exposed arm of his opponent. As the man cried out in pain and fell back, Raph kicked him further out of the fight. This movement forced another soldier back at the same time. Raphael then continued to keep his weapons and his kicks moving at lightning speed. He wasted neither time nor effort in his hits, making each one count as he fought back the tide of aggression.

Against so many, Raphael knew that his family's only chance to get Don stood on reducing the numbers quick and efficiently. As he looked back over at his partner, he could tell that Mike was focused on eliminating his adversaries quickly, as well, and that was all the better. Right now it was focus and fast hits that would keep things in their favor and would hold the enemy at bay.

Suddenly, Raphael saw a change in one Foot Elite's intent. As the man fell out of the fight and attempted to rejoin it, he abruptly turned away to move towards the hall beyond. At the same time, the soldier yelled out an order, pulling eight more warriors from out the room. The turtle quickly figured that his brother and nephew were already downstairs. Allowing his senses to warn Mike about the soldier's change in agenda, he hoped that his brother would be able to intercept the man. However, before he could, Mike was quickly set upon by two of the Foot.

Mike had sensed Raph's prodding, but with two new opponents to deal with, he was now kept too busy to do anything about it. He could only hope to dispatch those he was fighting as soon as possible. Given his own physical limitations, he was finding the task daunting.

_"What made me think I could go back to doing this again?"_ he grouched to himself, whipping one of his nunchuks hard against an opponent's backside. The soldier groaned in agony as his knees buckled beneath him, sending him hard to the floor with a resounding thud. The man's disability gave Mike something to smile about.

"Ha, at least I haven't lost my touch!" he crowed aloud as he whooped. He then did a roundhouse kick into another soldier's midsection as that man tried to take over for his fallen comrade. However, as Mike landed on his weaker leg, he stumbled a bit. It was the same leg that had been injured three years prior when the clan had fought against Jason.

As Mike quickly recovered, Raphael warned him good-naturedly as he blocked a strike that was meant for his youngest brother, "Focus, Mike, or you'll be more than 'touched'." Raph smirked as his brother's eyes went wide when he realized what his carelessness could have cost him.

"Right!" Mike mused and nodded quickly, "No problemo, bro!" and then he returned to the task at hand, focusing on the next wave of soldiers. He noticed, though, that even Raphael had suffered some cuts throughout the melee. _"At least I won't be the only one going home with souvenirs!" _he quipped to himself.

Leo and Seth now found their way blocked as the Elite charged towards them. The two quickly turned to face the opposing force head-on, pulling out their weapons as they did. Seeing eight more ninja come barreling towards them, it was then that Leo knew the time for leniency had passed. Consequently he was forced to use his katana to slice through the enemy around him. Making sure he was well away from Seth, he went for quick clean deaths where he was forced to kill and hard hits with the flat of his sword when possible. One Elite soldier was knocked out, but two met the sharper end of Leo's katana as they rushed in to take their fallen compatriot's place. Collapsing to the floor in a blood-letting heap, they were now permanently out of the fight. Leonardo then launched into a volley of combined kicks and jabs. At the same time and in coordination with his moves, his twin katana swords cut back the opposing rush of Foot soldiers.

Seth drew his short sword as well. Considering his beliefs about not killing, he was determined to use the weapon only to knock out his opponents when he could. Yet, at the same time, if it became a life or death situation, he would then use the sword to his advantage. Much to his dismay though, he was forced to use it with deadly intent. As the rush of soldiers nearly overpowered him in the first crushing wave, he felt the sickening depression that his weapon made as it met flesh for the first time. The forest battle from three years earlier had prepared him for this, but these soldiers were far more experienced and trained than Jason's gang was. Yet, between his sword and his tail, Seth easily took out those Elite who were closing in around him without having to kill too often.

All in all, less than a minute had elapsed since Leo and Seth had joined the fray. Yet in that amount of time, they had spotted the basement door behind the stairwell. More now than ever before, Leo was determined to swath a path to get to his injured and imprisoned brother.

Suddenly from within the other room where the battle was taking place, a sword struck down and caught Mike along his left arm. Instinctively, he pulled it back, but not before the damage was done. He grimaced from the pain, yet he did not call out. He wondered, then, why he was always the one getting hurt. The wound was somewhat deep, allowing a generous amount of blood to flow. However, despite the pain, he was focused on one thing and one thing only; keeping the enemy busy. Consequently, Mike had to fight on regardless. He then angrily whipped his 'chuk chain around the offending blade of the sword, hoping to use it to disarm his opponent. Unfortunately, the move failed. Mike found that he had to release his hold for fear his own weapon would be taken from him or, worse, broken. Once he had control of his nunchuk again, he went back to work, quickly taking a sidelong glance over at the two younger members of the team while he fought.

As Devon battled alongside Ramiela, he sneered as he faced his attackers, striking out with his weapon as he did. "Man, I hate being the center of attention," he complained as he fought.

Rama laughed a bit in reply while she dispatched yet another hapless soldier, "Personally, I love it. Look at it this way, Dev; at least you know they want ya." She couldn't help her quip; it was, after all, the way her father and Uncle Raphael were when they fought side by side. For that momentary thought, she felt the ache of missing her family inside of her once again. Yet, once again, she pushed it back. She then caught sight of her uncle's twin. Rama was using her sai much as Raph was using his, keeping her moves fast and smooth flowing with no wasted effort on her part. Yet at the same time, she allowed the opponents to bring the battle to her. She knew that when fighting a vast number of the enemy, it was wisest to stand your ground and allow the fight to come to you. Then, pushing your opponent away, you can easily dispatch them. It took training to perform this technique with efficiency and if there was one thing Rama had, it was that.

As Leo and Seth finished dispatching the last of their attackers, the two frantically turned back towards the basement door. However, they found the way guarded. It was apparent that in the amount of time it took for them to dispose of their adversaries, orders had been given by one of the Foot to have that way blocked. The door leading to Don was now book-ended by two soldiers. Yet, much to Leo's trepidation, the two did not bear arms as their compatriots did in the other room.

Instead of swords or nunchuks, they were grasping pistols.

As father and son drew near to them, the Foot soldiers raised their guns threateningly. It was clear they would sooner risk hitting one of their own rather than allow the two before them to proceed any further.

Leo came to a cautionary stop. He quickly sensed the Foot soldiers behind him giving the hallway a wide berth. It was quite obvious that they were aware of what was going on and none wanted to be accidentally shot in the process. Leo could also see that the heat of the battle in the main room had cooled down as well. With each passing second, it seemed his team was slowly whittling back the onslaught, making less Foot to worry about. Yet, even they were aware that something else was going on. That is if they took note of the few remaining opponents cowing back away from the hallway. Leo could sense his clan's distraction with this and their wonder with what was going on.

As he studied the soldiers with the guns, Leo lowered his katana blade just a little, his stoic glare locked onto whom he assumed to be the leader.

At the same time, Seth stared hard at the pistols, waiting patiently for the right moment to react. He noticed the fingers twitch as they wrapped around the gun triggers. One soldier's hand shook somewhat, betraying the man's nervous uncertainty. Seth smiled to himself as he realized the soldier's less that confident composure would be to their advantage.

Of the two Elite who stood guard at the door, one had given the orders. It was the same one who had first noticed Leo and Seth in the hallway and had directed some of the fight towards them. It was obvious to Leo that he was more than likely the leader. The man now stood guard by the entrance to the basement, suddenly laughing. Then he hurled a Japanese insult at the two, yet they remained standing defiant and unflinching before him. Without hesitation, he gave the command to shoot and, as he did, his own finger flexed upon the trigger of his gun.

However, before the hammers were fully engaged and the bullets dislodged from the barrel of each pistol, Leo and Seth dove to one side and out of harms way. At the same time, Seth released two shuriken at the armed soldiers. The ninja stars found their mark in the wrists of the two guards, rendering both impotent as they dropped their weapons. Yet, the leader was able to quickly whip out another from his dogi pocket with his one remaining good hand. As he swiftly brought the gun up and aimed it at Leonardo, Seth dove to the ground, rolled towards his antagonist, and was soon at the foot of the soldier. Quicker than the man could react and before he could shoot, Seth whipped his tail up and cracked it hard beneath the soldier's hand. The action caused the pistol to be jarred out of his grasp and flung upwards, finally falling to the floor and beyond his reach.

Yet, before either Leo or Seth could advance and finish the battle with the soldier at the door, a gunshot rang out through the hallway. Almost as if he had heard the shot before it was made, however, Leo turned away, but not before the bullet had grazed his shoulder.

Wincing in pain and slamming hard up against the wall, he grabbed at his injury while the projectile continued on, only to pass through the soldier that Seth had just disarmed. The man then crumpled to the floor, dead. Finding his own wound minor, Leo mentally pushed back the pain to focus once more on his adversary.

As the shooter charged towards Leo, the man was quickly followed from behind by two others. Leo saw that they were part of the terrorist's group and by the way they moved, not as trained in the arts as the Foot were. He waited for the men to shorten the distance that was between him and them. While they ran, they aimed their guns at the two mutants and it seemed as if they were going to succeed where the others had failed.

Yet before they realized it, in one fluid motion Leo quickly bridged the gap. He had gone ninja and his move was so unexpected by them that as a result, the guards hesitated in their advance. In doing so, their actions brought their guns up and out of alignment with their target. With the advantage now in his favor, Leo never hesitated. Swinging his sword out straight in front of him, he ran the first soldier through with his katana. At the same time and while his sword was embedded into the man's chest, he twisted it. The action caused the man's torso to turn, thereby forcing the angle of the gun from its intent. The terrorist fell dead to the floor, his gun clattering and sliding harmlessly away.

In the next moment, Leo whirled around with his other sword, slicing horizontally through middle of the other two. He watched dispassionately as they fell mortally wounded to the floor.

The remaining guard by the basement, who had only suffered from a Shuriken in one wrist, nervously but defiantly stood up and barred the way. With his good hand, he whipped out a short sword from a leg-pocket of his dogi, yet he wasn't quite fast enough to use it.

Before the man could strike him, Seth grabbed a tight and secure hold around the soldier's hand that held the weapon. His other grappled around the opposite one that had been injured. Next, his tail whipped around the man's legs and, in so doing, virtually held him fast. The Foot Elite tried to wrestle out from the mutant's grip, but Seth's hold was firm and much stronger than the human's. Now, nearly snout to nose, the Elite couldn't help but stare at the angry and quite formidable iguanid male.

With his three would-be assailants now lying dead at his feet, Leo was able to take stock of the situation. The main floor was littered with the fallen bodies of the enemy. Other than a few groans of pain from those still alive and wreathing in the other room, his clan had virtually disabled the company of soldiers that were in the house. Yet, it all took place in under three minutes. It seemed to him that whatever contingency of Foot were present, they appeared to have only congregated on the first level. Although there was a bit of uneasiness about that, Leo still couldn't help but smile over at his brothers as well as Rama and Devon. He quickly caught the kunoichi's eagerness for more. He then sensed Devon's own 'ready for action' attitude and knew that his nephew had finally passed the test of fire.

In that moment, Leo felt a great deal of pride and relief.

Raphael and Mike both appeared as if the timing with the end of the fight couldn't have been any better. He could tell that his older brother was suffering from some minor wounds. It was also quite apparent that he was out of shape, where Raph heaved from his exertion from battle. Then, seeing the trail of blood running down Mike's left arm caused Leo some concern. Yet, it was obvious by his youngest brother's triumphant grin that it wasn't serious. Still, he knew that Rahab was going to have another fit with her husband wounded once again. Considering that it was only a flesh wound, though, for that Leo was grateful.

However, they didn't have the luxury of time. Leo was certain that, with the gun going off, the barracks were soon to be emptied with another volley of soldiers. He could only hope that Thomas was ready for them.

As he turned back towards the basement door, Leo's reverie was foreshortened. He instantly recognized the high tech security lock and knew that it wouldn't open unless the right code was used. However, he didn't have time to try and bypass it. That was when he looked directly over at the soldier, who was still struggling within his son's vice-like grip.

Quickly walking over to the man with long and deliberate strides, Leo swiftly brought the sharp end of his katana blade up against the exposed throat of the guard. His eyes narrowed and grew hard and then he then growled out menacingly, "I will let you live if you prove to me that you value your life as much as I do mine."

With his courage already compromised, the guard's rounded frightened eyes rolled nervously downward as he tried to eye the blade. With each passing second that he delayed in answering, the sword was pressing harder against his throat. As he hesitated to comply, though, Leo increased his leverage. Finally, losing his resolve, the soldier ceased his struggles within Seth's hold, swallowing uneasily. As he felt the tiniest of cuts against his Adam's apple and the warm trickle of blood that followed, he gave a small nod of his head.

"Good. Now, open the door for us," Leo demanded sharply.

Seth increased his grip around the man's hand which held the sword. He then moved his thumb along the inside of the soldier's wrist and pressed. Almost without resistance, the weapon clattered to the floor as the man's hand was instantly disabled. Crying out in pain, yet not finding relief from the sword at his neck, the Foot didn't have any other recourse, now, but to comply. With Seth still firmly holding him, the soldier was turned around and, with the other hand, allowed to punch the correct numbers into the keypad. Once that was done, Seth then turned him around to face Leo again.

"Since you've cooperated, you will be rendered unconscious a little easier than your fellow soldiers were." Leo declared. He allowed the man to look over the carnage in the hallway and the other room. The soldier then faced Leo again and, noticing the mutant's menacing smile, his own expression went to abject fear. Leo reached over and firmly squeezed the area between the man's shoulder and his neck, collapsing the human into a helpless and unconscious heap.

With Devon and Rama guarding the door, the rest made their way down into the basement below. As they descended the stairs, they began to notice a smell. Wrinkling their snouts, it was obvious to them that wherever the enemy had Don, they felt it unnecessary to provide him with the basic fundamentals of living. However, as they came down into the full measure of the basement, they immediately saw that, with the exception of a few pieces of furniture and bags of trash, it was virtually empty.

"Okay," Raph asked irritably, "So, where'd they put him. I can sure as hell smell 'em," he grouched as he almost retched. "Brings back memories, though. Something about a sewer!" he deadpanned. Mike couldn't help but chuckle at his brother's attempt at humor, despite the seriousness of the situation.

A single light bulb was their only source of illumination. Yet, except for the discarded furniture and trash, the room was virtually empty. With the basement as large as the dimensions of the house, there were only a few turns in its construction in which to hide. Yet, despite their feverish inspection, the clan was unable to find any evidence of another door. Just the same, they knew he was somewhere nearby.

Then, Leo declared, "Remember, the informant said Don was below ground. Look for a trap door!"

"Leo, look at this place," Raph irritably exclaimed, "Where would they even have a trap door? The floor's solid concrete!"

Then, he looked over at the furniture and noticed an old roll-top desk. Grinning triumphantly as he walked over to the item, he declared, "Unless, it's under here!" and then threw his whole weight into pushing the piece of furniture away from its spot.

He was immediately rewarded with two things. First, it was the location of the illusive trap-door, a simple metal grate similar to what a sidewalk air vent would have in New York City.

Second, he noticed the odor that they had first smelled now assaulted them with a vengeance.

"Well, one thing's for certain," Mike said as he covered his snout and grimaced.

"What's that," Raph asked as he and the others fought to keep from gagging.

"He ain't dead and his don't smell any better than ours do!" Chuckling despite the odor and in reply, Mike received a slap on the back of his shell from Raph. The action nearly sent him to his knees, though, as it aggravated his wound. "Okay, okay, just kiddin'. Sorry, couldn't help m'self." Mike then helped his brother pull up the grating, pulling it off to one side and dropping it down onto the concrete floor with a resounding clang.

Leo, recovering faster than his brothers were, ran down the stairs of the hole. As he quickly descended, the rest of the clan did likewise as they followed him. Once they were well inside, it was quite apparent that the hole was to be Don's unmarked grave.

Aside the hole being cut through concrete and dug into the ground, no measure of sanitation was offered, not even a water bucket. By the collection of waste that they found there, it was obvious their brother had been kept in such filthy conditions for quite a while. More than likely, it was part of his torture and the terrorists' attempt to extract the much desired information that they wanted from him. It seemed they considered Don deserving to be kept in such awful conditions. Deprived of light, sound, and everything else considered civilized, he was treated like nothing more than a dumb animal. If it weren't for the lighting that seeped in through the now-exposed opening, it would have been black as pitch inside.

They quickly found their brother as he lay inert upon a wooden pallet in a far corner of the tiny in-ground prison. He seemed dead or at least comatose. He neither moved nor reacted to their sudden presence and a worried concern filled all of them.

"Don!" Leo hurried over and gently rolled him onto his side. Placing his one hand upon his brother's plastron, Leo could feel him breathing, although it was weak at best. Tenderly caressing his brother's face and concentrating, he could feel that Don's mind was clouded and disoriented, as if he had been drugged. This was probably why Seth or any of them were unable to sense him earlier.

As Leo looked at his brother's arms, legs, and torso, he could see the extent of what Don had endured. Fresh as well as older marks of bruising and cuts were thick along his body. There was no telling what other injuries he had, but it was painfully obvious by Don's condition that he had gone through extreme physical torture. Some of his cuts were festering, evidence that they were infected. Due to the graphic nature of the wounds, it was proof that if he had given up any secrets, Don had gone through hell before he did so. Yet, Leo knew that, while his brother might have been weakened and battered, he was still alive and, therefore, had not been defeated.

As if to verify that very fact, Don stirred slightly beneath Leo's touch, groaning and opening one swollen eye. As much pain as it caused him, when he caught sight of a familiar face, he opened it just a bit wider in surprise.

"Leo?" he croaked, barely audible with his parched, dry throat. Realizing that rescue was at hand, he gave off a faint feeling of relief, now that his family had finally come for him.

Leo whipped out his canteen and slowly brought it up to his brother's mouth. "Here, Don, just take a small sip, okay. Not too fast, bro." he coaxed.

Once the water had touched his mouth, his lips eagerly rooted for the canteen. If it weren't for his weakened state, Don would have grabbed the entire container and drained it dry. However, with his strength nearly gone, he had to be satisfied with what Leo gave him. "Hey, as soon as we get you out of here, you can have more." Leo assured, "But we need to get you rescued first. We still have a ways to go."

Nodding weakly, Don trembled as Leo took the flask of water away and capped it, hooking it back onto his utility belt. Then, with Raph and Seth's lending assistance, he managed to get Don up off the palate and onto to his feet. It was almost like pulling at dead weight, he was so weakened. Then, as his legs gave out, they had to steady him. In that moment, it was obvious that at least one of his legs was broken.

"Just lean on me, bro," Raph choked out, "we're taking you home."

Then, Leo released Don to his brother and son. He watched as Raph and Seth hoisted Don up between them, steadying him before walking him over to the steps. As he followed from behind, Leo couldn't help but hear Don mumble weakly, "Is' 'bout time you came f'me."

Leo smiled and knew that his brother would recover.

Then, Raphael and Seth slowly worked Don up the steps and out of the hell hole that had been his for nearly a month.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Lunar-ninja_**_: Another update, another cliffy amazing how that happens. soon the story will be over and then there will be nothing left to dangle over your head. Hope you and your dragon friends aren't too upset but cliffys must be expected at this point in the game. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender_**_: It starts? It almost finished too, which two authors give huge sighs of relief. If all else fails rama ought to ' remember who she is" I like Lion king Rafiki had to be my favourite. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB reader_**_: Neither Reinbeauchaser or I ever envisioned this story going on so long, then again we enjoyed our side trip of chasing after Gabby that added a few chapters we weren't expecting but then we really felt we needed to explore Gabby's feelings too. However we appreciate the honesty. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Rama get home? Hmmm! Maybe and then again maybe not, it seems it might not have been in the cards. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lisa 15_**_: Rama has to concentrate on this mission homesickness or not which she did admirably. Wendy did indeed do some impressive work with her stories they are some of my favourites though I am sure reinbeauchaser is more familiar with them then I myself, part of the reason I asked for her help in this story. Glad to hear you enjoy Rama so, both she and I appreciate her fans. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**

**_LUNAR-NINJA_**_: Well, I have to agree with Ramica. Cliffhangers keep you coming back for more and, considering how long we have been at this story and how great the chance of losing readers might be because of that, it's insurance that you and others will not jump ship! :0) We're nearing the end, however, with maybe one more chapter after this and then the epilogue. There might be a possible sequel, but the one I'm thinking of won't involve a co-write. So, Ramica can forego passing out at this time. Yeah, originally we had Raph doing the honors, but I read in Splinter's description of the turtles and what their weapons were, that Mike handled the grappling hook, so a kudos to Splinter/Terran for her insight, even though she's probably not reading this story. Credit where it is due, I always say! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed. _

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_: I am amazed that you are still with this story. It's been almost a year and we're nearing the end – finally. Cliffhangers, as mentioned, are the all-important carrot on a stick for readers. Ah, now, I wonder if you or anyone else knows the origins of the phrase 'cliffhanger'? I do, so it'll be interesting to see if you do. Oh, and I know you're not hard to please, but you do catch plot holes and other writer's problems that both Ramica and I appreciate. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Well, hard to say what's going to happen. Unless you're Ramica and Reinbeauchaser! Bwahahaha! Ah, it's lights, action, camera, or – is that lights, camera, action? Either way, there's a fight a'foot, or is that Fighting Foot? Hmm…lots of ways to say things but only one way to say what we need to. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBReader_**_: Ah, sorry you're bored. Hopefully as the story ends and as the action gets more intense, you might find a resurgence of interest. That's the problem with long stories, though. I did email you and ask what the reasons might be for your topping off with RR and I've yet to hear back from you. For that matter, anyone can E-mail me privately with their thoughts along these lines. I know that some of you might feel insecure about what went wrong, if any, but it helps immensely in our writing experience. Just the same, we hope the last few chapters – one more and then the epilogue – will make it worth your while. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_LISA15_**_: So many questions that only this chapter and the next one or two can answer. Glad you like the Rama/Devon pairing. So did we! :0) Rather redundant, of course. Glad you took the plunge and read Wendy's stories. They're such a treat to read; a true soap opera if there ever was one. There were times I absolutely hated Rahab and then, turn right around and loved her. She has so many layers to her personality that it's near impossible to peg her with a simple description. Wendy certainly created a three dimensional world with her three fics. Yes, Don is certainly a stronger personality in her stories, which appealed to me big time. When I first read them, I wasn't a fan of any particular one. However, after reading Gaele, Don won hands down. Glad you enjoyed the other stories under my handle. Ramiela is definitely a wonderful character that has given Ramica endless amounts of ideas for stories. I'm reading her 'Legacy' right now where she's rewriting it and Rama reminds me so much of my own daughter. Shudders Naw, she's a great kid. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	57. The Price of Courage

**_DISCLAIMER-_**_Well, readers, this is the last chapter. It is very long – over 9000 words. Some of you will be clapping joyously about that, while others might groan. For the latter group, you'll need to apply the 'how do you eat an elephant' guidelines. Just take small 'bites'. __I have proof read until my eyes crossed, so there may be a few 'blips' along the way. Given the length of this chapter, I think we're allowed. _

_Also, I want to thank Ramica for the information on number seven. Based on what she wrote in her latest update on 'Legacy', it seems that throughout ninja history, that particular number was considered lucky. To insure victory, they would always carry groups of seven and/or seven of each small weaponry on their person. Seven knives, seven shurikens, seven smoke bombs, etc… Glad they limited it to small weapons, though. Can you just imagine if it also included the larger groups of arsenal? Seven katana, seven sai, seven nunchukus, seven bo-staffs. Yeah, the ninja would never be able to get out of the weapons room without toppling over! The Samurai of old would have had nothing to worry about. Bwahahaha! _

_Anyway, as before, Ramica and I disavow all ownership of any transformed chelonian shadow warriors. _

_'Nother words – Eastman and Laird can rest easy tonight. _

**-**

**Chapter 57 – The Price of Courage**

As Seth and Raphael eased Don out through the doorway at the top of the basement stairs, they were immediately met by Devon. The look on his face told everyone that their situation had become critical.

"Need to get going," he rushed, "Thomas was able to take out seven men, so far, but I think he's run out of darts; that is if he's kept to tradition."

Leo came up from behind Raph from the stairwell and slipped around to face his nephew, "What are they doing, now?" He could tell that both Rama and Devon were edgy, their ninja senses on high alert in the way his would be if a fight was imminent.

Rama answered him as she glanced anxiously towards the front door, "They seem to be hesitating. I don't think they know that Thomas is out of darts, but…" she paused as she looked back at Leonardo, not sure if she should voice her next concern.

"But, what, Rama?" Leo asked pointedly.

"Well, it's just - I think this is a trap. I think they wanted all of us here, at this point. It has the markings of a set-up, if you ask me," she replied softly.

Raph, still supporting Don with Seth's help, commented gruffly, "Yeah, I can smell it, too." Turning towards his brother, he remarked, "Leo, if that informant's set us up, he's already dead! That's a promise. But, we need to get Don out of here first. He won't make it if we don't."

Seth added, "Don's like dead-weight, Father. He's really bad off."

Mike looked forlornly at Don, gently touching his brother's bruised and swollen face, "Yeah, he even looks worse than the time Min was with us in New York, when Gracie's store was burned down."

Don suddenly groaned, looking up just a little as he mumbled incoherently, "Min? Wh- where, where's Min?" However, he lost consciousness once again and slumped even more between his brother and nephew.

"Man, he's really out of it." Mike said, peering into the face of his injured brother. While he studied Don, Mike had his hand clasped over his upper arm where the blood was starting to coagulate from the cut he had suffered earlier. Nevertheless, a thin ribbon of red still seeped out from the wound, coursing down the length of his arm and dripping onto the floor.

Leo saw the bleeding bicep and quickly pulled out a folded piece of linen from his utility pouch on his belt. "Here," he offered as he went over to wrap Mike's arm. Tying the material around his brother's appendage, it seemed to adequately stem the flow of blood. "Can't have you bleeding to death, Mike, before we even make it out of here," Leo teased lightly as he gently slapped his brother on the back of his shell. Even after all the years, it still worried Leo whenever any of his brothers were injured in battle. Considering how long it had been since the last time, he found the revisit a bit too alarming.

Yet, with years of working with them, Leo knew when they were afraid and this was one of those times. However, it wasn't fear of losing their lives as it was fear of losing Don all over again. There was also the possibility that Raph was correct and the informant had indeed lied to them. This only made Leo more anxious. Considering that the rest of the family was home in Japan at the ryu, with only his students to protect them, they very well could be in danger as well.

Despite his fears, though, Leonardo pushed back that thought. Instead, he began to formulate a plan. Looking over at the trio of young ninja, he said to them, "The three of you will be the diversion. You're younger, stronger, and faster." He looked around the room where the fight had taken place and noticed that, towards the back, were a set of glass doors leading to the outside. Remembering what Rama had told him about the first guard and that the man's routine seemed to include circling the house, Leo turned to face Devon, "Go out the back and around the west end of the house. You'll engage with whatever enemy is there and, in that way, draw the rest of them out front over to that side. While you're luring the soldiers away from the front door, we'll wait here until the time is right to get Don out to one of the trucks."

Seth then relinquished Don over to Mike and joined up with the other two mutants. He looked at his father and then sided up next to his brother and Rama. Devon then gave the order, "Try not to be heroes today, we have to all get home in one piece." He looked over at Rama and winked, before saying, "We'll draw them to the west, like Leo said, and take out as many as we can."

It was then that Seth glanced down near the basement door and noticed the gun lying off to one side. He returned to the other two and cautioned, "We can't forget that they have guns, either, Dev."

"Well," his brother nodded sharply, "we'll just have to make sure that those with, get taken out first. If we can't, we do our best to avoid getting shot."

Then, as all three squared their shoulders and gave each other a joint high-five, they headed towards the double patio doors and out the back.

At the same time, Leo switched off the lights inside the house. He swiftly crept around the room, trying to stay below window level. He flipped off what switches he need to until the entire lower floor was drenched in darkness.

The thought of guns worried him a great deal. Leo knew that if the men in the house were willing to inflict injury upon their own by using guns inside, it was a given that those outside wouldn't hesitate. Yet, he didn't have much choice and had to put his faith in the training of the three that were now heading towards battle. Still, he knew that any one of them might not be fast enough to get out of the way of a bullet, not even if they went ninja.

While Raph and Mike waited in the dark with an unconscious Don supported between them, they soon felt the familiar presence of Thomas as he came off the stairs and joined them in the hallway. He carefully approached his employer and looked intently into Don's face. Studying the bruising, he then grimaced as he caught a whiff of the turtle's condition.

"If any are left alive this night," the valet seethed, "it will not be on purpose!" Locking angry eyes with Raphael, he received a nod of agreement from the turtle. However, he knew that getting Don out safely was paramount to any rebuttal against the enemy.

At least for now.

Only a few seconds had passed since the trio of young warriors had slipped out the back. Suddenly, those still inside the house could hear the fight begin. Sounds of metal clashing against metal reverberated sharply from outside. Leo was almost holding his breath in fear that another sound might come to their ears. Yet, as all of them listened to the battle, it was becoming thankfully obvious that, for now, the enemy was using the more traditional weapons of engagement.

Moments later, they saw the crowd of soldiers out front being lured over to the western side of the house, exactly the way Leo had hoped. The audible shouts from the Foot and terrorist were easily heard. Yet, the five remaining in the house waited, ready to stave off any of the enemy that might see through their plan.

As the battle outside intensified, Thomas glanced over at Leonardo and said, "One of us needs to get to a transport. I'm the most likely candidate since I'm the only one that can blend in with what's going on out there." Not waiting for a response for Leo, he quickly picked a likely candidate from those unconscious or dying that littered the floor of the main room. Undressing the Foot Elite, Thomas quickly dressed himself in the dead man's uniform and then pulled the soldier's mask over his face. Ignoring the blood on his disguise, he turned around to suddenly find the hilt of a katana thrust into his hand.

"Here, you'll need this." Leo said, "If either Devon or Seth see you with it, they'll recognize its design. It'll keep you alive, unless one of the real Elite figures out what's going on."

Nodding silently, Thomas went out the back door. He slipped outside and disappeared around the east end of the house and into the night-born shadows. Leo carefully crept over to the front window, hidden within the darkness of the room, and watched as the valet worked his way around the fight. As he watched, he quickly glanced to his right and saw that Devon, Rama, and Seth were eliminating the soldiers quite handily. Just the same, there was still a large number of the enemy and a rather formidable challenge in getting Don to safety.

Outside in the courtyard, Seth and Devon were using every aspect of their training, and their tails, to beat back the nearly crushing wave of soldiers. Their katana and short swords were working eagerly while they dispatched as many of their opponents as they could.

For those who were able to get passed the weapons, they were rewarded with bone-crushing strikes from the whip-like tails of both brothers. Though they snapped their extra appendage at their targets quicker than the eye could follow, occasionally a soldier would get lucky. Consequently Devon and Seth now had several cuts and lacerations along their tail. Still, they fought on, using their meditative skills to ignore their discomfort. All in all, it was tiring work for the two iguanid males and yet, at the same time, the rush of adrenaline was like nothing they had ever experienced.

Seth knew where he was in his ninjitsu; his maai was working in unison with his weapon. It was a feeling that even training could not provide. As he worked his short-sword, one soldier managed to get by his defense and inflict him with a cut along his arm. It was a shallow cut, barely causing the wound to bleed. Yet, immediately, Seth sent his rebuttal, executing a swift tornado kick that propelled the soldier into the air while knocking down two more of his comrades. Though Seth abhorred violence, he knew when to put that perspective to one side and do what he had been trained to do. Quickly, he dispatched another soldier, moving on to the next set of assailants as the mortally wounded man crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Devon now was finally able to understand what Rama had been telling him earlier. For the first time in his life he felt truly useful. Not even his position at the recording studio in Monterey could validate his life as this fight was doing for him. He truly felt more alive than he had ever felt before. As his assailants tried to dispatch him, Devon sensed his ninjitsu course through him like a raging river of energy. It showed him where each strike against him would be just moments before. It was almost as if he were seeing the enemy in slow motion. He was able to discern their moves before they made them and then countering with calculated strikes of his own.

When Rama glanced over her shoulder, she easily saw the energy in Devon's face. She smiled inwardly, for she knew in that moment that he was experiencing what she had told him about. Then, as she was set upon once again, Rama quickly dispatched two Elite with her sai, adding a spin whip-kick to take out two more. Landing back to ground and crouching low, she avoided getting beheaded by another soldier's sword. In rebuttal, Rama swiftly drop-kicked that assailant and debilitated him by knocking him out with the butt-end of her weapon.

As she resumed fighting, she quickly saw an Elite emerge from the shadows from across the east side of the house. At first, she thought of leaping over the mass of fighters to engage the soldier. Worriedly, she presumed an attempt was being made to affect some sort of resistance at the main gate. While she considered this action, she watched him race towards the far end of the courtyard as she jabbed and kicked out at the enemy. She kept her watch on the errant soldier as he passed by the melee unchallenged. The enemy was too involved with her and the other mutants to even take notice of him, so he managed to slip around the fight quite easily. As he ran, Rama noticed the sword that the departing soldier was carrying. In that moment, she realized who the katana belonged to.

_Leo!"_ she said to herself. _"Either he lost his or that Foot is no Foot!"_ Realizing the man was leaner than the rest of the team in the house, she surmised it was Thomas. It was obvious that Leo would want to make sure they had a way out and to safety. It was then that she saw an opening in Devon's defense as he dispatched two more aggressive soldiers. She sent her thought to him, _"We need to draw them farther away from the front door, Dev. I think 'blast-off' is ready to happen!"_

When Devon saw an opportunity, he nudged his brother and, getting his attention, communicated Rama's suggestion. Soon, the trio of mutants began luring the rest of the soldiers to the western most end of the house.

Unwittingly, the enemy complied.

The group of Foot soldiers, terrorist, and reptilian ninja moved noisily farther from the front door, distancing themselves even more from those remaining inside the house. The loud sounds of 'shrings' and clangs of metal striking against metal echoed throughout the compound.

As bolstering shouts of aggression from both sides deafened the otherwise quiet of the night, Leo crept outside the front door. He kept his silhouette small as he crouched low while emerging through the doorway. He waited as he watched the battle escalate. Glancing across the yard towards where the vehicles were, he caught a quick reflection of light. It was Thomas's signal that he had arrived at his destination and had a transport ready and waiting for them.

Looking back towards the interior of the house, Leo jerked his head silently in the direction of the main gate. Soon, three more darkened figures exited through the doorway, trying to keep low without compromising the comfort of the injured one in the middle. The three of the four now watched as the fight at the western end of the building intensified.

Once Devon had realized his father and uncles were outside, he began to fight more noisily, backing up around the side of the house. His yells were sharper as a result and, in following his example, Rama and Seth did likewise.

"Hey, boneheads, where'd you get your ninja skills? From Wal-Mart?" he teased, putting more energy into his hits.

Rama chuckled, adding her own wit, "Maybe we should call you Kindergarten Ninjas!"

Seth was not at all amused with the other two's bantering, "Look, we have enough to do without aggravating this situation any more than it needs to be."

"Ha, bro, you don't understand. These guys wouldn't know an insult if it slapped them in the face," Devon exclaimed heartedly, "Like this!" He snapped his tail out at one soldier who had dropped his guard from all the idle chatter. The force sent the man reeling backwards and into another soldier, sending both to the ground. The one who had a first encounter with Devon's tail remained down, now unconscious and out of the fight. His compatriot, however, leaped back up to charge forward, yet warily keeping his eyes on the mutant's snake-like appendage.

"Hey, this guy must like a fancy tail, he wants some, too!" Devon declared as he dropped to a crouch and then executed a 'lightening-fast' three-sixty turn. His tail followed suit, tripping the man, but only for a second. The soldier was half-expecting something from the mutant and was able to re-cover his balance. Steadying himself, he squared his shoulders and stepped back as his fellow Elite rushed in.

With Devon and Rama adding insult to injury to the fight, it only encouraged the enemy to shout out as well, which worked to Leo's advantage.

He was now confident that if Don were to cry out in pain or groan, no one would hear him.

While Raph helped carry his injured brother outside, he gave a sideways glance to watch the battle scene. It was easy to tell that the three young ninja were doing an exemplary job of keeping the enemy busy. Just the same, he re-balanced his hold on Don and then silently unsheathed his right sai. In turn, Mike unhooked his left nunchukus, keeping the chain firm in his grip to silence any sound it might make. It was doubtful the enemy would even hear them, considering all the noise that was coming from the fight itself. Yet, in case someone looked in their direction, they all had to be ready.

Leo quickly and quietly led the way as they moved off the front porch and into the main courtyard. He kept his eyes and senses keenly alert on the battle scene. He was grateful that, unlike earlier, the cloud cover was now complete as it obscured the bright moon above. With the compound shrouded in darkness by the thunderheads above, not even the stars would betray them this night. It would aid their task of getting his brother to safety without drawing a lot of unnecessary attention.

Leo wanted to get as close to the exit as he could get before any of the enemy was alerted. If all went well, the trio now engaged with the Foot would quickly dispatch their opponents and join up with the rest of the clan where the vehicles were parked. Now, Leo stood guard between his brothers and the fight as they carried him onward towards their exit. While they moved ahead of him, Leo kept his senses alert for any change in the enemy's focus. Though the horde of Foot and terrorist crowding around his team obscured them from his view, he could sense that the next generation of ninja in the family was fighting valiantly.

Suddenly, the crowd of Foot and terrorists split open. Several of the soldiers had been kicked back and out of the center where most of the action was taking place. Their compatriots jumped out of the way so they would not trip over their fallen comrades. It was then that Leo saw Devon, Seth, and Rama. However, despite the interruption, all three were continuing the fight. They were taking out as many of the enemy as they could who were close enough at hand. As a result, it seemed the numbers were slowly dwindling. Now, Leo began to have some expectations that they would successfully get Don to safety after all.

As he kept his eyes on the fight, he could not help but sense Rama's fierce determination to protect them. She jutted and jabbed out with her weapons, her strikes from her sai interspersed with her kicks. Consequently, she hammered back any unlucky Foot or terrorist who was within her reach. When she pulled back, after dispatching two more from the horde, her expression told Leo exactly where she was at. Her calm exterior showed a relaxed mind, her deep meditative state allowing her to use her skills in anticipated her opponent's next attack even before that soldier had made it. Her actions were clean, precise, and frequently executed with deadly precision.

As they walked Don slowly across the courtyard and towards where Thomas waited for them, Raph quickly glanced over to observe the battle scene one more time. For just a moment, he was able to compare the differences in fighting between Rama and his son and nephew. While it was a given that all were ninja, it was clear that Ramiela's extra years of fighting battles like this had given her an edge over the two boys. In fact, as he quickly assessed the situation, Rama's fighting skills easily reminded him of the years when he and his brothers had to frequently do battle, as well.

Raph then muttered to himself as he returned his focus on getting his injured brother to safety, "_This is what we tried to spare our kids from."_

All participants of the battle were doing their best to keep from tripping over the dead or unconscious. Some of the Elite, who were still in the fight, barked orders to those less injured to pull the more-grievously wounded comrades out of the way. As Rama, Devon, and Seth fought off the remaining ten that tenaciously refused to back down, they were beginning to realize that some of the soldiers seemed fresh and not as spent as they should have been. These particular Foot Elite fought well alongside their tired comrades and, by comparison, they seemed to be better trained, too.

However, they allowed their fellow soldiers to do all of the work and accept most of the strikes from the three mutants. While their compatriots were busy taking the brunt of damage, the half-dozen Elite looked for opportunities to quickly strike at the trio.

As a result, Devon and Seth, as well as Rama, were inflicted with minor but irritating cuts. It did not stop their fighting, but it did seem to distract them from their task. It almost appeared to Devon as if these six soldiers had been uninvolved with the battle from the start. It was possible that they had hung back and waited until he and the other two were worn down. Now, he was beginning to see that the attack had been orchestrated. In that moment he was starting to believe that with each group of Foot he and his team dispatched, a fresher assault was sent against them. This last group was obviously the stronger and better trained of the enemy; that much he was sure of.

As he parlayed against the fresher company of soldiers, Devon quickly looked over at Rama and said, "I think you're right, this is a trap." He then blocked a strike with his katana that was meant to impale him, responding to his opponent with a roundhouse kick. However, it was neatly deflected by the Elite's own foot, completely surprising Devon. He narrowed his expression and squared his shoulders' defiantly, allowing his senses to guide his next rebuttal. Quickly, he saw an opening in the enemy's offense and, like a viper focused on his kill, swiftly impaled his katana into the man's side. The soldier groaned once before dropping where he stood, reducing the number of the enemy by one.

Rama saw Leo and his brothers successfully make their way in front of the barracks across the courtyard. She then glanced over at Devon and Seth, calling out, "This party's a real bust, guys; let's just blow this place and go home."

As Raphael quickly walked Don to safety and from where he was in the courtyard, he overheard Rama's loud pronouncement. He chuckled, for Mike could have easily made that remark back in the old days. Yet, Raphael had to clear his mind of the past, for in that moment he and his brothers suddenly saw the trap they had all sensed from earlier.

As if they had been practicing for weeks in preparation for this battle, a swarm of soldiers exploded out of the last two barracks, uttering a riotous cacophony of shouts. At least fifteen assailants from each hut were now blocking the escape route, brandishing not only swords and other traditional armament, but guns as well. The mixture of black-clad Foot and simple terrorists in their fatigues now stood ready to fight.

This was what Leo had feared most and it literally forced him to stop his team's advance towards their exit. Leo knew exactly what Hummer Thomas was in, yet he also knew there wasn't anything the valet could do to help them. To join in the fight or even distract the enemy would destroy any attempt of a successful escape. In order to be ready and available, the man had to keep his position as secretive as possible.

From where they fought, Devon and his team heard the roar of challenge from across the yard. The other two on his team quickly looked up as he did. It was then that they realized they had to get over to the remaining clan members in order to assist their effort of protecting Don.

"Come on," Devon yelled as he quickly dispatched one more Foot Elite, "Forget about these guys. We need to get over to the others." He immediately leaped over the next two soldiers. However, they were not expecting such a move from him. Consequently they crashed in to each other where Devon had stood only a second before.

"Right behind you, bro," Seth exclaimed as he tripped a Foot that he was fighting with. Ducking under the sword of another as that soldier tried to slice across the mutant's chest, Seth then hurried after Devon to join with the rest of the clan members.

Rama swept her opponent's legs, as well, and attempted to catch up with Devon and Seth. However, she noticed a few more Foot rushing out from within the house in her direction_. "Must have been playing dead or maybe they were hiding,"_ she snorted in disgust. Rama then laughed as she turned to meet their aggressive challenge, _"Either way, it just gives me more to have fun with!" _

She was truly in her element, now, relishing the fight even more than her companions were, since this was how she lived back home.

Home.

Again, thoughts of her family came to mind and she felt her heart ache once more. She considered her father and her uncles. She grieved for her sensei, and her aunts and cousins, not to mention Master Splinter and how much she missed all of them. Yet she wasn't able to dwell very long on that thought as she came to blows with the four new assailants. Easily stabbing one with her sai, she found the rebuttal from the other three coming quicker than she had expected. For Rama, it meant only one thing.

_"I can't afford to get tired!"_ she berated herself. She was rather surprised with that fact, yet she realized that it had been nearly a month, or even longer, since she had last fought. Just the same, she reached within herself to pull out her reserve energies, allowing her meditative state to deepen even more.

Rama quickly blocked another Elite's sword with her other sai before the katana found purchase in her chest. However, the owner was able to lock his blade within the tangs of her weapon instead. Before she realized it, her favorite tool was wrenched from her grasp and flung back towards the house, too far for her to recover.

Not wasting a moment, though, she immediately unsheathed a katana from her back, its 'shring' echoing loudly over the din of shouts. Now, she fought with a sai in one hand and a sword in the other.

Back in Japan before they left on the mission, Leo had allowed Rama to choose her own weapon from his personal arsenal. She had originally been overwhelmed with the selection he offered her. There had been so many different sai and katana and all with varying degrees of design. However, the sai with the red handles were quickly chosen.

"In honor of my Uncle Raphael!" Rama had declared proudly, receiving a nod and a smile from Raph as he watched.

Yet, after careful inspection and when she finally chose the two katana swords with an embossed jade hilt, Leo had smiled in response. "They have been made from the strongest and finest steel, Ramiela; they will serve you well."

Now, as she prepared to defend herself against the throng of soldiers, she knew that she had chosen the best of what Leo had to offer. Just hearing the blade sing as she had unsheathed it told her as much. Though her own weapons back home were good enough for patrolling and for doing battle, she could tell that the one she now wielded was stronger and its design more efficient.

As she thought of home, though, her mind once again kept straying from the task at hand. Yes, she wanted to go home. Still, she had other responsibilities here

_"Just the same,"_ she thought quickly to herself, _"I would love to see Dad one last time."_

Nevertheless, she was forced to parlay and meet the first challenging strike against her katana. As she whipped the sword around and jabbed out with her sai, connecting metal with flesh, she soon realized that the number of Elite had doubled. The previous group of soldiers had quickly joined with those that had come from the house. Now, instead of four Foot to deal with, there were eight to dispatch.

Suddenly and without warning, she heard and then briefly saw what looked like a large concentration of fireworks coming from the top of the house. As they seemed to be heading straight for her position, Rama's eyes widened in surprise. She didn't even have time to duck, yet she knew that whatever it was would miss her. Seconds later, something exploded from behind her in the direction of the clan. As the ground rumbled and shook, the soldiers she was battling with were thrown back towards the house. At the same time, the blast forced Rama up into the air.

In that moment, her training kicked in, her defensive reaction causing her to instinctively curl up unto a ball. When she hit the ground, she rolled away from the epicenter and quickly leaped back to her feet. With her weapons at the ready, she looked up towards the house to see what had caused the distraction. There, she saw a row of terrorist with one or two Foot Elite crowning the rooftop. One terrorist held a missile launcher in his hands, its smoking maw the only remains of the propellant that had fired off the rocket-bomb only moments earlier.

Looking back towards the blast, she was shocked to find a gaping hole, where before there was solid ground. She glanced at the soldiers behind her and saw how they were now advancing upon her once again. They were calculating their attack, this time, watching her every move as they slowly closed in on the kunoichi. Their careful approach gave Rama a brief reprieve from the fight, allowing her to catch her breath.

Devon and Seth were unaware that Rama had not followed them. They had almost caught up with their fathers and uncles when the rocket was launched. Likewise, the resulting blast from the explosion had thrown them up into the air, as well, almost causing them to crash into Leo and the others. Righting themselves with practiced ease, the brothers turned and discovered the hole the same time that Rama did. It was then that they realized she was not with them. However, before they could even yell for her to jump the chasm to join them, they could easily see within the depths of the crater a massive metallic cylinder.

"Fuel!" Devon exclaimed sharply. "It's gasoline, Seth. If they shoot another missile this way…" he nearly shouted.

"I know, bro. It's history for all of us. We need to get this rescue hurried up." Seth replied with worried concern. He quickly went to his father, all the while watching the enemy at their end take careful steps in their direction. "Dad, we need to get out of here. There's a fuel reserve in that hole. If they…"

"I understand," Leo declared quickly. Then, he sharply called out an order.

On the other side of the crater, Rama heard him cry out. "Raph," Leo yelled, "let Mike hold onto Don – we need to fight our way out."

She turned to see what was going on and as she did, she saw thirty or more soldiers blocking the rest of the teams' way of escape. They, too, were slowly and carefully advancing upon the clan. Yet, what piqued Rama's curiosity was what Devon was staring at. His expression showing honest concern, he stood near the rim of the newly-formed crater, looking into its interior. However, she was too far away to see what it was that grabbed his attention. Then, noticing Raph handing his injured brother over to Mike, Rama saw him whip out his other sai in preparation for battle. She looked back at Devon and watched as he moved closer to the crater's edge. He glanced up at her and then motioning for her to stay away.

"What's in there?" she yelled quickly over to him, mindful of her own situation with the enemy advancing upon her.

"A fuel tank!" he exclaimed loudly, now backing away from the edge of the hole as he looked up at her.

Rama's eyes went wide. She knew as well as Devon did what that would mean if another rocket was launched and if it landed inside. There wouldn't be any need for her or any of them to go home after that. She saw that the crater's width was not as wide as the area it landed in, allowing a narrow passage along each side. Maybe she could skirt around it, she thought, and in that way join up with the others. Still, with enemy soldiers and terrorists surrounding the mutant clan from each end of the compound, getting to safety was going to be a monumental task, regardless.

Rama now knew that timing was of the essence. Leo was already in a defensive posture alongside Raphael and both seconds away from engaging with the enemy. In that moment she knew what she had to do and she didn't stop to wait for orders. Instead, she began to give them, the familiar feeling of being in charge allowing her a renewed burst of energy and focus.

"Seth, Devon – you two help and cover them. I'll deal with the scum on my side," she yelled over the gaping hole, turning to face the angry mob of warriors again. Now, they seem to be quickening their pace, pulling back their swords and nunchuks in preparation to attack.

Devon lashed his tail as he growled back, racing around the crater's rim, "Not with out my help, Rags!" There wasn't any way he was going to leave her to handle the assault on her own.

Leo sensed what Ramiela was intending to do and, so, he silently bid Devon his blessings to help her. He knew that Rama was willing to die in order to keep them all safe, for that was what she was trained to do. Just the same, he did not want her to sacrifice her own life, even if it allowed the rest of them to make it to safety.

As far as Leo was concerned, no one was going to be left behind.

He then turned to face his own battle, reaching back and pulling out his katana from their scabbards in preparation to fight. He and Raph led the way as they worked closer to the horde that blocked their exit. They took out as many who dared to get close to them, not offering any mercy or leniency. Those soldiers or terrorist who approached them recklessly, were quickly killed without hesitation. Now it was all business, a revisit to the old days when the brothers lived in the sewers of New York and had to fight to stay alive. Consequently, their survival instincts were now guiding them. Even those who bore guns never had a chance to fire them, for the two mutants had entered into their ninjitsu state of mind. They worked quickly, almost faster than the eye could discern. As a result, the men with guns and other like arsenal, were deprived of their hands or arms as the mutants roared relentlessly into their midst.

Mike hefted Don along from behind, his nunchukus at the ready. He watched as his two older brothers charged courageously into the enemy's midst. Fortunately, they seem to be handling the throng of Elite and terrorists quite well. Yet, if he had to, he was prepared to release Don to the ground in order to defend him. Mike then looked up and saw that a few more soldiers had joined up with the already imposing number. How he and the rest of the clan were going to get out of the encampment without losing someone worried him a great deal. In their younger days, numbers like what they were facing now would not have been a problem. However, the truth was they were older, slower, and not as strong as the three junior members on the team.

"Rahab, I just hope you know that I loved you," he whispered quietly. Currently, with Leo's new orders for Devon, only Seth was left to help them with getting Don to safety. His nephew was currently bringing up the rear and making sure that Mike would not be ambushed.

As he saw the multitude of soldiers increase even more, Mike then did something that he swore he'd never do.

He prayed.

Devon swiftly edged around the crater to join up with Rama. When she saw him appear at her side, she turned and glared at him. "I said I'll handle this, Devon. Don't you listen to orders?"

"Hey, jonin-girl, you forget; I was supposed to be in charge, remember?" Devon chided with a grin as he prepared to do battle alongside of her.

Rama eased up closer to him as the two faced the enemy, seething at him, "Well, you've just been demoted. You need to go back and help protect Don."

"Seth's more than capable, Rama. You need help, more," Devon said in defense as he brought his swords up and into position. He winked at her and grinned.

"Yeah, since when?" the kunoichi huffed as she warily eyed the approaching mix of soldiers and terrorist, her own two weapons at the ready.

"Since I haven't made good on my promise, yet!" he quickly leaned into her and gave her a quick peck on her right check, never once allowing his eyes to leave their opponents.

"Keep your focus, Lizard-boy! We're not out of the woods, yet," she snapped back at him, allowing the faintest of grins to crease her face.

Rama had to admit to herself that she would have assisted him, too, if Devon been in her spot. Shrugging, she finally accepted his support of help, turning back to the enemy as another five soldiers emerged from the deeper shadows alongside the barracks. Now, there was a formidable company of antagonists that began to encircle the two mutants.

Suddenly, two Foot soldiers rushed through the first row of combatants. Not wasting a moment, they struck out at Devon and Rama, rapidly working their weapons. At the same time, the two mutants could hear swords clashing and shouts of anger coming from the other side of the crater. Without needing to look to see and as the two warriors met their own challenge, they knew the battle had begun - again.

The metallic sound of weapons clashing together was almost deafening within the encampment. Yet, only the surrounding trees bore witness to the fight as each side of the battle drew blood. While Seth helped Mike in protecting Don, Raph and Leo tried to cut a path through the crowd of soldiers. Though they did receive their own share of wounds and cuts, they were minor and allowed the mutants to do more damage to the enemy in return.

Just the same and despite the carnage of their fallen comrades, the company of soldiers stood firm and seemed to multiply as each line of defense was beaten back. Leo suddenly realized why that was so when he noticed more soldiers joining the fight from around the barracks closest to the front gate. Coming up from behind their compatriots, they then joined the assault as a new and fresh line of aggression.

_"Where are they coming from?"_ Leo pondered quickly to himself as he blocked several strikes in rapid succession. He caught sight of Raph as he swiftly dispatched a would-be executioner in a blinding display of sai-work. He was pleased that his older brother had not lost his touch and was amused with Raphael's eager aggression. Yet, Leo was concerned that the enemy seemed to be growing in numbers. He knew that there were only twelve small huts, allowing at most twenty soldiers to hide in each. Leo also knew that Seth, Devon, and Rama had taken care of a rather large number of the enemy already, so he was puzzled to see twice that amount gathering against them. _"Must have some underground passageway or facility, but from where?"_ he wondered.

As he executed a split kick, taking out four of the Elite, Leo managed to glimpse back at the house. He was surprised to find even more of the enemy there. They stood like sentries atop the roof, watching and waiting. It seemed to be a virtual army of combined Foot and terrorists.

As they fought on the other side of the crater, he saw Rama and Devon whittle back the enemy's numbers. Yet, in that moment and as Leo instantly dispatched several more soldiers with his katana, something back at the house caught his attention.

In horror, he saw one of the terrorist on the roof loading yet another missile into the rocket-launcher. He took care of three more soldiers before yelling out a warning.

Reenergized from the momentary breather from a few moments ago, Rama and Devon were courageously holding their own. They managed to thwart several soldiers' attempts to impale them, returning the favor by taking out two and disabling them from the fight.

Suddenly, they both heard Leo yell out.

"Hit the ground!"

All members of his team dropped to their knees while their opponents did likewise. It was obvious that no one wanted to die that night with the instinctive need for survival strong on both sides of the confrontation.

Almost immediately, the sound of a rocket-launch was heard. Its whistling voice of destruction stilled everyone's heart as it whizzed over head. It shot menacingly down the length of the compound. Yet to the clan's and everyone else's relief, it completely missed its target.

Instead of hitting the mass of warriors on both sides of the conflict, the missile exploded into the perimeter wall of the encampment. As a result, a ball of smoking fire erupted and covered several of the nearby vehicles. As the smoke cleared, it was easy to see that the blast's affect created a sizeable opening and one that was now big enough for a Hummer to drive through.

Leo smiled; fate seemed to be turning in their favor again.

However, he had noticed that just before the missile was released, the one who had engaged the weapon had crumpled into a heap. The man's fall had caused the launcher to end up out of alignment with its original target, which Leo believed would have been the crater. He looked around and wondered what had caused the terrorist to fall. It was obvious that the distance was too great and the opportunity too slim for any one on his team to have a chance to throw a shuriken.

As he thought about it, though, he realized who it could have been. Leo was sure that, somehow, Thomas had either found an extra dart or he was saving some to guarantee their escape.

"Smart man!" Leo breathed out in relief. Where Thomas was at the moment, though, Leo didn't know. All he could hope for was that the valet wasn't in any of the transports now fully engulfed in flames. Considering their volatile potential with their fuel tanks, Leo knew it was only a matter of time before they became bombs as well.

Just the same, as he blocked several strikes from the enemy at once, he looked back towards the house. Suddenly he saw a second terrorist on the roof swiftly retrieve the dropped weapon. Another soldier immediately began stuffing the end of the launcher with what was certain to be a missile. Leo knew that this one would not miss its target for out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thomas scramble back inside one of the Hummers. He glanced up the courtyard and saw Devon and Rama as they stood back up. He took advantage of the enemy's own distraction with the blast and called out to warn the two jonin.

Devon and Rama had quickly recovered from their concern and, like the others, quite relieved to see that the missile had missed them. Yet, almost as Leo shouted for them to get away from the crater, Devon looked up only to spy another soldier manipulating the rocket-launcher. He barely noticed the second soldier re-load the weapon and he knew as well as his uncle did, that this one would not go awry.

"Rama, run!" he yelled, knowing that he didn't have any more time to warn her as he raced around the gaping crater and over to his family.

As he sensed the change in battle, Leo whipped his head around towards their exit. Immediately, he saw the enemy as they fell back and away from the clan. Some were running as if their lives depended on it, only to suddenly fall like dead weight. It was certain that more of Thomas's darts found their target.

Some of the enemy, mostly terrorist, rushed out the new opening in the wall while the larger contingency, made up of mostly Foot, opted to stay within the compound. However, they attempted to put as much distance between themselves and the mutants as they could. They ran frantically behind the barracks and back towards the main house. It wasn't a mystery that they knew, as well, what the next set of circumstances was going to be like.

Ignoring them and rushing over to Mike, Leo and Raph tried to get Don and themselves to relative safety, hoping that the others would get clear as well. Leo looked back towards his nephew and Rama. He saw Devon racing around the outer edges of the crater, meeting up with Seth and yelling for Rama to follow him. However, in horror, he watched as Rama was set upon by the braver of the Foot Elite, who seemed oblivious to what was going to happen. They were determined to take at least one of the clan members, even if it meant their own demise, it seemed. If only soberly, he had to admire their courage.

At the time of Leo's warning, Rama and Devon had worked about eight feet of space between them, their fighting routine causing the separation. With their weapons, they had to allow room to implement them in order to keep from injuring each other. Consequently, when she heard Devon's call for her to run, she was unable to comply. The moment he ran, the enemy closed in around her like a swarm of enraged hornets, lest she escape as well.

Their action kept her from following her beloved. For the moment, Rama was trapped by the persistent and dedicated soldiers. They matched her strike for strike, too, with their own katana, not one from the enemy's side allowing her a second of reprieve. Rama had to defend herself on all sides, seemingly all at once and forcing her to forget about escape. She didn't have any other thought but to stay alive. As if it couldn't be any worse, the pressure intensified as one Elite soldier on the roof shouted out an order. Her opponents began to fight even harder, as if their lives depended on finishing their task. She found was quite capable, yet one most especially. With his weapon matching her strike for strike, in one blinding movement he effectively rid her of her last remaining sai.

She cursed under her breath at her loss, yet Rama never hesitated to reach up and back to grab the second katana. Thankfully, as she brought it quickly out in front of her, she managed to deflect a strike meant to rid her of her left arm. Instead, that soldier lost his, the same soldier that took her last sai. He fell back, groaning as he stifled a scream of agony.

For a moment, Rama breathing hitched as the scene reminded her of another battle not too long ago.

She then did a tornado kick to repel the rush of soldiers as they tried to crush against her. As she did, she saw that Devon was clear of the crater and had finally joined up with his family. Yet, she knew that if she tried to escape, now, she would be dead. Though she had effectively pushed back the crowd of soldiers, they were now re-grouping and currently rushing her in their attempt to surround Rama. She didn't have time to run. She had to dispatch them first before trying to escape the impending explosion. She heard Devon cry out one last time for her to get away, just before the all too-familiar sound of a rocket-launch echoed over the courtyard once again.

In that moment, she dipped as deep as she could into her ninjitsu and allowed her meditative state of mind to guide her next series of movements. She was now lost in a sea of calm focus, all the while dispatching as many of the enemy as her twin katana could reach. Rama was working and fighting faster, now, as her level of ninjitsu surpassed the one she had been in only second earlier. She felt the enemy's chi fade out as each soldier succumbed to her merciless and yet swift executions. Thoughts of family came to her again as she whirled her swords around like an undulating top. Yet her emotions were non existent. She embraced only a mental desire to see her father, her uncles and aunts again, not allowing her longing for them to distract her. Just the same, she knew that this night might very well be her final battle. Fate would not be kind to her this time, she was quite certain of it.

In one blinding moment, she felt the explosion; felt the heat and was forced to tightly close her eyes against the brightness of the blast from the crater. In that moment, Ramiela, daughter of Michelangelo and once future jonin of her clan, smiled and welcomed nirvana.

The explosion ripped through the yard with a thunderous roar, debris from both cylinder and those closest to the crater's epicenter flying in every direction. Large chunks of flaming metal dropped sporadically over the compound, raining down with deadly force. Several of the barracks erupted into a blazing inferno as they caught fire.

At the same time, Leo, Mike, and Raph frantically grabbed at Don and dragged him behind a large unscathed transport. Throwing themselves over his unconscious body, their combined carapaces took the brunt of hits from the smaller shrapnel and protected him from any further harm. Larger pieces of the now destroyed fuel tank dropped with a resounding force, causing the ground around them to tremble like an earthquake. Fortunately, fate was still smiling on them as these larger chunks missed the foursome completely.

The same could not be said about several of the trucks and Hummers parked nearby. Many were now either crushed or burning from the flaming debris, their destruction complete. Leo looked up in concern, hoping that Thomas was not in one of them. Seeing the man hovering near the perimeter wall, he smiled, giving him a 'thumbs-up' and receiving in kind the same gesture. Leo then watched as the valet surveyed the carnage. Certain the worse was over, he quickly chose an undamaged Hummer for their escape, slipping inside and igniting the ignition.

Seth and Devon had leaped in the opposite direction, however. They found themselves behind an armored vehicle, which acted like an effective blast-shield. It, too, remained intact from the blast. Just the same, an occasional shard of metal managed to find them, causing several minor cuts and scrapes along their exposed arms and legs. Nevertheless, their wounds were minor compared to what would have happened otherwise had they not jumped to safety.

As they chanced a look back at the epicenter of the blast, Devon and Seth both saw fire raging within the newly enlarged crater. The size of it now exceeded the width of the courtyard, causing those barracks closest to it to fall within its hellish hole. A cacophony of loud explosions ripped through the sudden stillness as flames found new pockets of fuel and gasoline fumes. The heat and intensity of the flames were so great, that anything having the misfortune of falling inside would have instantly incinerated.

Now, no more shouts of from anyone came forth as it was becoming clear that the fight was over. The soldiers that had been on Leo's side of the attack had worked their way back to the main house before the missile had hit. Whether or not there were survivors did not matter anymore. With the now nearly destroyed armored vehicles littering the sides and with almost all of the barracks on fire, there was a formidable barrier to anyone from the enemy's side to continue the battle.

Nevertheless, with the destruction and fiery crater, it was like a scene from hell by all accounts.

As the force of the blast dissipated and the fight came to a sudden and grinding halt, Leo raised his head. He looked out over the fire-engulfed area where he had seen Rama just before the explosion. He braced himself against the carnage he expected to find, praying that the girl had survived the blast. However, where she had been closest to it, he held out very little hope. He saw with a sinking heart that the crater now reached as far back as the house, beyond where Ramiela had been previously standing. Suddenly, he saw Seth and Devon. They were picking themselves up from behind an armored truck across the way and which had sufficiently shielded them from serious harm.

Relief flooded over Leo just to know that, at least, they were safe.

Swallowing anxiously and with his heart almost in his throat, Leo looked back over towards the crater again. He was hoping that the last member of their team had survived. With smoke bellowing angrily out from the gigantic depression in the ground, he strained to see a familiar silhouette emerge. However, the brightness of the growing fire overwhelmed his eyes. Squinting, he forced them to look beyond the glare, dipping into his ninjitsu for assistance. What he saw and what he sensed did not calm his worried spirit. He could discern the bodies of dead terrorist littering the area around the rim of the crater, yet not one still form appeased his desire.

Finally, in desperation, Leo yelled out to his son and nephew, "WHERE'S RAMA?"

Seth turned sharply around with a dazed expression, blood running down his left arm. He cupped his right hand to his ears and shook his head, not quite hearing his father. It was clear that the blast had temporarily impaired his hearing.

"RAMA, WHERE'S RAMA?" Leo shouted again as he stood up, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice. He turned to see how Don was doing and caught Raph looking at him. His brother gave him a slow negative shake of his head, certain as well that the kunoichi could not have survived the explosion. Then, Raph looked down at his fallen brother as Don stirred. He was starting to come out of his drug-induced coma. He mumbled something incoherent and tried to open his swollen eyelids just a bit. Licking his lips weakly, he asked feebly, "Ramiela? Ramiela's here?" but then his eyes closed and he slipped into a blissful slumber once again.

Raph took Leo's arm, pleading desperately, "We need t'get Don outta here, Leo."

Mike concurred with a nervous nod of his head, "If Rama was in that blast, Leo, no way…she couldn't survive that, ninja or not."

"But, we need to at least try and find out!" Leo challenged. Yet as he locked determined eyes with Raphael and noticed the frantic expression on Mike's face, Leo knew that his brothers were right; Don needed desperate medical help in order to survive. Ramiela was probably already gone, as Mike had said, and more than likely vaporized in the blast along with the terrorist she had been fighting.

Raph squeezed Leo's arm, "She did what she was supposed to do, Leo. Rama's ninja, she knew the score, bro. She understood." He choked back his own worry, wanting to grieve along with his brother. That would come later, though. Right now, they had to get Don medical help and quickly, too.

Yet, Leo shook his head in denial, looking up once more at the raging inferno across the way. He refused to give up and yelled out, "Seth, do you see Rama?"

Devon was already at the crater, edging as close as he could without being scorched. He called out frantically for her, his voice cracking under the emotional weight of possibly losing her. All the opportunities they had, all the moments together and yet he had stopped just short of telling her how much he loved her by asking Ramiela to marry him.

"RAMA!" he screamed and then louder still, "RAMA!"

Devon finally broke down, yelling her name repeatedly, even as Seth ran up to wrap his arms around him to pull him away.

"DAMNIT, YOU ANSWER ME, RAGS!" He resisted his brother at first, lunging towards the hole again, not wanting to leave the site.

Seth managed to grab his brother back before the flames could him. He could feel the heat and knew with certainty, that if Rama had been standing where she was before the missile hit, she was already dead.

Other than hearing small explosions popping from within the fire-rich crater, Devon could not hear even one curt reply. The fuel was still feeding the flames, promising a very hot and very long burn. Whatever and whoever had the misfortune of falling inside the inferno would have died instantly. Devon nearly collapsed, half walking, half being carried by his brother as they reluctantly and with much grief, made their way back to their fathers. Devon openly wept, as did Seth, not either of them caring if it was unbecoming of them. They struggled with the weight of their loss as they made it back to their fathers and uncles. Looking back one last time, Devon strained to hear his beloved, hoping that maybe she was only beyond his line of sight. Yet, as the spreading fire engulfed the house and as the remaining Foot Elite leaped off the roof to their deaths, he realized that Rama could not have lived through the destruction.

It was then that Raphael stood up along with Leo and Mike, the three now facing the inferno. They straightened to a respectful pose, gazing remorsefully at the hellhole with their arms hanging limp at their sides.

Seth wiped his eyes and did as they were doing, embracing his brother with one arm draped along Devon's shoulder, "Com'on, Dev. We gotta do this," he said, his voice cracking under his own burden of grief.

Reluctantly, Devon gulped back his tears and stood at attention as requested. As if on cue, all five suddenly bowed low as one, each holding their homage of respect and sustaining it long after it was customary to do so. Devon trembled as his grief bubbled up from within him once again, finally breaking free with deep, wracking sobs as he went to his knees in absolute desolation. Never in his life had he ever felt so much despair.

Raph went over and wrapped a comforting arm around his son, pulling him back up to a stand. His son's grief nearly overwhelmed him, but he knew that time for it was not on their side for the moment. "Need t'suck it up, Dev," Raph whispered hoarsely, "Don needs medical help or – we'll lose him, too." He waited, feeling his son's anguish, knowing how much he loved Ramiela – and knowing how much she loved him back. "Come on, kid…Rama did what she had to do, but we all need to get your uncle to safety." He felt one last shudder under his embracing arm from his son as the boy tried to regain control, "Otherwise," Raph whispered to him softly, "Rama's sacrifice will be a waste."

Devon nodded sadly, regaining some measure of control again and knowing that his father was right. Don needed help and he needed it badly. In honor of his beloved, he would do what he had to do in order to save his uncle's life.

With heavy hearts, they managed to get Don into the back of the Hummer where Thomas had been waiting. As the valet slipped the vehicle into gear, he drove quickly over the rubble and through the gaping hole in the rock wall. As they careened out of the compound, one final explosion ripped through the yard, nearly toppling the wall as the concussion of the blast ripped through the compound. Now, with more flaming debris flying through the air and catching the surrounding jungle on fire, it engulfed the rest of the encampment.

Yet, not one member in the Hummer looked back as the armored car raced down the mountain road and on towards the small airstrip a mile away. They all knew, beyond any doubt, that the one left behind could not have survived, not even by a miracle.

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**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS: _**

**_Lisa 15:_**_ Reviews are always welcome whenever you get the chance and time to send them to us. Don might not be in great shape at the moment but he doesn't seem quite ready to give up either. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Danceingfae:_**_ So glad we didn't have you confused for too long and were able to sort everything out. With luck this one doesn't further confuse you. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta:_**_ Length of reviews is not important. Taking time to review is quite enough for us and we appreciate it. Glad you enjoy Don being alive. I hope you aren't too upset by the latest twist in our tale. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic:_**_ Nope I think Reinbeauchaser handled most of the injuries on Don. Yes I know I did some wonderful torture scenes, if you could call it that, in The Enemy, which I am re-writing at the moment. Hope you enjoyed the battle out come in this chapter. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB Reader:_**_ We all have our own likes and dislikes so you have nothing to apologise for. It is hard as authors for us to please everybody but since the story did grow further then expected we decided to add a little stuff for everyone. Mike does miss Rama you can count on it. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar Ninja:_**_ No more cliffies just because we are near the end huh? That is what you think, No cliffies maybe and maybe not. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

_For expediency and the fact that I am anxious to get this chapter up and running, I am allowing Ramica to do all the commenting. :0) _

_Just the same, I want to thank everyone for reading and reviewing. It's so much fun to find out how this story is affecting you. I enjoyed every comment, even if one or two of you thought the story was too long and not as conversationally endowed as you would have liked. Each writer has their own style. Each brings their own flavor to the TMNT world. I like to write in novel form, with descriptions and thoughts written out. I love conversations, too, but sometimes I find it daunting to combine that with the more active scenes. _

_Ramica and I both hope that you've enjoyed the ride. _

_After this chapter, the epilogue will follow. _

_Thanks, once again, and y'all be blessed! _


	58. Recovery

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Well, after much debate (okay, one E-mail exchange), Ramica and I decided to extend this tale one more chapter. Originally, if we left it as a single chapter, this one was going to be about 10,000 words long. As it is now, where we've katana-sliced it in half, it's around 6,000, give or take a few words. That way, the epilogue is one-scene centric and not muddled with multiple scenarios. I know we said that this would be the first of two epilogues, but we felt it prudent to do otherwise. So, instead of one more update after this one, there will be two. Unless my muses overwork the keyboard, again, like they did with chapter 58. _

_Anyway, as before, we own nada, other than our own OC's. When you're done reading, review if you want to, but be blessed nonetheless._

**-**

**Chapter 58 – Recovery**

The return home to Japan was a bittersweet journey for most everyone on the team. Although they were collectively grateful for Don's recovery, to lose Rama had put a damper on what should have been a joyous occasion. It was the first time that the turtles had lost anyone in the field – ever. Consequently, their victory was quite subdued and somewhat hollow.

Despite the horrific abuse that Don had endured, though, Leo determined that his brother would survive. Considering how the near-assassination attempt on him years ago had affected him, it was uncertain if Don would overcome this recent trauma any better.

Nevertheless, Leo's main objective was to treat Don's injuries as soon as possible. With many of his sores already infected, blood poisoning was now another concern. Unfortunately, the helicopter provided little room to work in, so Leo had to wait until they boarded the jet in Manila in order to clean the festering wounds. From there, they would then return to Osaka, Japan and to the ryu where the rest of their family waited. Thankfully, Don remained in his drug-induced coma for the duration, which made the trip easier for all concerned.

Devon had said very little during the trip, sequestering himself as far from the remaining clan members as he could on the helicopter. All he did on their way in to Manila from Busuanga Island was to stare out the window, stoic and reticent. His feelings of despair were easily discerned by his family, so he was left alone to nurse his own personal wounds. Several times he tried to meditate, only to give up with a heavy sigh of frustration. After frequent attempts, he resigned himself to just looking out the window, emotionally detaching himself from those around him.

Leo had observed Devon as he tried to meditate. He sensed a deep longing and desire in the boy and wondered if maybe his nephew was attempting to communicate with Rama's soul. However, from his own personal experience with such things, he knew it was not an easy task to do. How many times had he tried to contact his Master Splinter in the same way soon after his father's passing? It was that particular disappointment which triggered his mental illness and subsequent sojourn into the mountains of Nepal a year later.

Once they were aboard Don's jet, Devon then disappeared into one of the sleeping compartments near the rear of the plane, staying there throughout the flight back to Japan. Leo, as well as everyone else, knew that the boy was deeply hurt and his loss would take time to get used to. Until then, they would all have to exercise some consideration and sensitivity with Devon's regard.

During their flight home, Leo had sent word on to the ryu regarding the teams' success. His only omission was the news about Rama's demise. News of that nature was something which he preferred to announce in person, anyway, not that they ever had an occasion to do so. Still, he was certain that, with everyone devastated with her passing, seeing Don rescued and alive would take some edge off of their grief.

Yet, out of all of them and with exception to Devon, Leo knew that Cassandra would take Ramiela's death the hardest. In the short amount of time that she had known her, the woman had tried to befriend the kunoichi; first in her shop and then while they had been in Japan. By that measure alone, she attempted to give the girl a glimpse of what her mother could have been like had Shay's circumstances been different. Understandably, Rama's death would affect Cassie considerably. Leo could only hope that the woman's love for his brother and her expected relief to see him alive would soften the blow of the girl's passing.

Hours later, a limousine - with an ambulance in tow - pulled into the ryu. The roadway leading into the compound was lined by the entire student assembly. Their uniforms created a solid yellow border on each side of the dirt road that led up to and through the oversized gates. As the cars passed by, heads bowed out of respect and then an unusual chorus of cheers followed. It was unlike any of Leo's students to audibly express so much joy, yet it was unusual that he and his family went off to fight, as well. It had been years since the last time, in fact. The seriousness of the mission was not lost on even the novitiate devotees, consequently they could not contain their relief that their master and his team had returned safe and sound.

As the limousine and medical transport circled around the gravel yard, the two vehicles stopped in front of the main building. The devotees of The Way followed the cars in and then gathered off to one side, allowing room for those in the vehicles to disembark. The family anxiously waited on the opposite side from where the students stood, huddled together in support and anticipation. The joy and relief upon seeing the familiar limousine and then the concern they felt with the ambulance that followed, was evident on their faces.

Rahab and her daughters held hands as they watched the driver exit his side and then went to open the rear door for the car's occupants. Cassandra and Gabby stood together side by side, each one holding a child. Mindy was in her grandmother's arms while Jordan slept peacefully in his mother's. When Mindy anticipated the first family member exiting the limo, she squealed in delight and wriggled herself down to stand as the others were doing.

"DADDY!" the girl screamed excitedly, pulling on Cassie's hand to beg taking her to the cars.

"No, Mindy," her grandmother cooed, "You need to stay here with us until everyone is out of the car."

"Buts, I wants to see my daddy!" the little girl pouted as she looked up at Cassandra.

"You will, love. Just be patient, okay?" the woman softly said.

"Don't wanna be pa'shunt, I wanna see Daddy." Mindy exclaimed insistently, pouting some more.

Cassie asked as she stooped down to look her granddaughter in the eye, "Well, if you don't want to be patient, do you want to go back to the house?" She smiled, knowing what the girl's answer would be.

Mindy furrowed her brow as she thought about what her grandmother said, pouted some more, but then shrugged and smiled, "Okay, I be pa'chunt."

"Good girl, Min," Cassie said approvingly and then straightened up to a stand, keeping a firm but gentle grip on her granddaughter's hand.

As each member of the team exited, the company of students bowed low, silent this time as they welcomed the returning warriors.

Mike was the first to step out from the limousine. Her anxiety nearly undoing her, Rahab couldn't wait and ran up to her husband, wrapping her grateful arms around his neck.

"Oh God, Mike, I was so worried for you," she cried out huskily, hugging him as she began to cry into his neck.

"Glad to see you too, Babe, but – ah – watch the arm a little; it still stings," Mike cautioned, grimacing some through his wide smile.

Rahab suddenly pulled away. As she caught sight of her husband's bandaged arm and various other cuts and bruises along his body, her eyes went wide. She had been so glad to have him back alive that she hadn't noticed that Mike was injured. Raising her head, she scowled her face and pursed her lips in displeasure as she seethed, "Leo never told us that you were…"

Yet, before she could continue her famous litany of complaints, Mike quickly leaned in and kissed her. He cupped his good hand around the back of his wife's head in order to deepen his embrace, while allowing his more grievously wounded arm to wrap gently around her. Bringing Rahab even closer to himself, he allowed his love for his wife to flow over her. By the time they parted, she was out of breath and unable to spout any comment at all. Instead she surrendered into his arms and sighed gratefully. As he turned her away from the others, Mike escorted his wife, without resistance, back to the family-side of the compound, with a sniggering Gaele and Riahna in tow.

Leaning into her sister, Gaele commented softly, "First time I've seen Mom at a loss for words!"

Riahna giggled, "Or Dad so eager to get her back to the house!"

"Maybe," Mike called back to them, never once breaking his stride or looking in their direction, "you girls can find something else to do rather than comment about your old folks?"

"You want to be left alone, Dad?" Gaele asked teasingly through her mirth as she and Riahna followed them.

"Would be nice!" Rahab commented, giggling as she leaned into her husband a little more.

Riahna grabbed at her sister and said, "I think maybe we could check out the garden again!" and pulled Gaele after her in a hurried rush to leave their parents to themselves. It was enough for them to know that their father and the others were home, safe and alive. The two then quickly ran along one of the dozen paths that led away from the main courtyard, disappearing among the bushes and trees that bordered the walk.

Seth was next to slip out from within the limousine. However, with his infant son cradled in Gabriella's arms and their toddler daughter clinging to Cassandra's hand, the young ninja warrior noticed hesitancy in his wife's face. He smiled at her, yet he soon noticed that she was not necessarily looking straight at him. He saw Cassie return his expression, though, and nod to him as if approving his success in battle.

Indicating his many wounds, though minor, "Seems you've been fully initiated, Seth!" she teased solemnly. Cassie then sighed and stepped back to let her daughter greet her warrior-husband.

Mindy, however, let go of her grandmother's hand and grabbed onto her mother's as it was offered to her. She stuck a thumb in her mouth as she silently watched her father approach. To even this small child, it was obvious this one she called 'Daddy' had changed. Gone was her eager anticipation, replaced with a kind of worried wonder.

As Seth approached his wife, he watched what she was doing and realized that Gabby had been assessing his physical condition. He saw the concern in her face and sensed just a hint of smouldering anger.

"You're hurt," she said sharply, "I thought this was just a rescue mission. In and out, that's what you told me! I thought you'd be able to get Don without…" Gabriella's hurried and anxious words tumbled out of her mouth like marbles thrown haphazardly along the ground. However, Seth's fingers found her lips and he gently pressed against them, sufficiently halting any more comments from her.

"Hush…all is well. I'm alive, cut and bruised, but I'm back, Gabriella." He then noticed, as he looked down at his daughter, the growing worry on her face. She was examining his tail and the certain areas that were bandaged. She also took note, with her mouth forming a surprised 'O' , of the less serious wounds that were allowed to heal without the added benefit of wrappings. There were a large number of them and, where they had been treated with antiseptics, were, therefore, quite colorful. Consequently, Mindy was quite intrigued with them.

"Daddy, you hurt. How comes you has boo boos?" the little girl asked seriously as she looked up at him. Her eyes were wide with wonder and concern.

Seth bent down and quickly scooped Mindy up, settling her into his arms as he planted a kiss on her forehead. He then explained, "Daddy had some business to take care of and – well, I fell down a little."

Looking her father over, a smile began to form on the child's face. Brightening just a bit, Mindy exclaimed cheerily, "You falls down a lot, then!"

Cassie smirked a little and a deep, gentle laugh came from behind Seth as Raph walked up to join the foursome. He, too, sported a few cuts and abrasions, but for the most part seemed whole. "Yes, your daddy did indeed fell down a lot, Min. But, he did an honorable job of standing back up," Raph remarked, offering his son-in-law a firm slap on the shoulder as well, as he admired the young warrior.

"I am glad that you're back - and safe, too." Gabby allowed sheepishly. "Just do me a favor, okay?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in all seriousness.

"And," Seth inquired suspiciously, "what would that be?"

"Just don't make a habit of coming home looking like this again." Gabby scowled just a little, yet it was plain to see that her concern for her husband outweighed her disappointment that the mission was more involved than what he had told her originally.

"Can't promise that, Gabs. I don't think this is…" Seth began to say, but then Raph gently pulled him aside.

Since his granddaughter was still firmly ensconced within her father's arms and he didn't want her to parrot back to Gabby what he was going to say, Raphael whispered softly, "Take care with what you say, Seth. Little is much in this regard. We still have to see to other _concerns_ before knowing anything for certain."

Nodding, Seth whispered back, "You're right, of course. I should have known, anyway, considering how Min is regarding what we do."

"Exactly," Raph said as he raised his eye ridges, and then looked back towards the limousine and ambulance. He then saw Cassie as she was quickly joining up with the transport. The EMT attendants were carefully extracting Don from the rear of the medical vehicle, lifting out the collapsible gurney that he was on with flawless and seamless ease. As gravity took over, the gurney's legs gracefully unfolded and locked in place, allowing the attendants to wheel Don over to the infirmary. Cassie walked beside him as he was moved along and it seemed as if Don was waking a little. Raphael could easily hear his brother weakly mumble something about "Good to see you, too, Cass."

Raph smiled and knew that Don would recover, that is if Cassandra had anything to do with it. For the first time, since before all of this had started, he felt a feeling of relief wash over him. He hoped that, for the good of all concerned and especially for his grandchildren, that this would be the end of their struggles for peace.

Just the same, he knew, based on the discussion during their return to Japan, that there was more to the problem than what was on Busuanga Island. There was still the matter of the man whom Don had met with just before the explosion in Osaka and who had now disappeared. Word had already been received during their flight in from Manila that the informant had committed suicide. His self-inflicted demise was one more piece of evidence that he had been behind a plot to eliminate the entire clan, or, at the very least, those who were able to protect themselves. This only meant their problem was still a viable one and that their family was still in danger.

Yet, Raph grabbed as much relief as he could feel for the moment, enjoying the almost complete success of their mission with Don now in good hands. The only detriment to his joy was in losing the kunoichi. Raphael knew that another memorial would have to be planned, once the rest of the family were informed of Ramiela's death. Until then, he would bask in their victory.

Soon after the attendants began wheeling Don up to the infirmary, Raph watched as Leo exited the ambulance. Leo then quickly caught up with his injured brother. As the gurney was steered along the footpath, he followed them and Cassie onward up to the dispensary. He sidled up to the woman at one point and said something to her as they walked. Raph then watched in amusement as Cassie wrapped Leo in what looked like a suffocating hug, forcing both of them to stop. If what he was sensing from her was accurate, Raphael could tell she was quite moved by Don's condition and yet grateful that Leo had kept his word. As promised, he had brought her friend back alive.

Next to exit the limousine was Devon, with Thomas following close behind. It was almost as if Thomas had to push the boy out as the young ninja barked in irritation, "**Okay, I'm leaving**." Once both were free from the confines of the car, the valet laid a gentle hand upon the youth's shoulder. He tried to say something to him; only Devon roughly brushed him off. "Look, just leave me, okay? I don't need _your_ sympathies right now," Devon grouched as he turned from the man and headed back towards the family compound. His pace was quick and communicated to all who took notice not to get in his way. He briefly looked over at his sister and her family. As he passed them by, he gave her a scowl that was filled with so much anger, that it nearly took Gabriella's breath away.

"What's with Devon?" she wondered allowed, looking up at her husband before asking a second query, "And – where's Rama?" Gabby glanced over at the limousine as it pulled away from where it had been parked, obviously no longer occupied except for the driver. She then went back to watching her brother's hasty progress as he headed from the main yard and up a path that led to the family residence. Yet, as she did so, she felt an enormous amount of grief from him and then the same from her husband.

Turning to face him, Gabby asked, a fearful lump forming in her throat, "Seth, what happened. Did…"

However, he could only embrace her. Mindy was caught in-between them and would have complained, except that, even for a toddler untrained in the 'arts, it was easy to tell that her father was upset.

Softly, "Gabby, Rama – didn't make it," was all that Seth could choke out. He felt his wife shudder within his arms, heard her lightly gasp, and then begin to cry as she rested her head upon his shoulder.

"How, how could this be. She's ninja, Seth, how could she die," she sniffled as her body hitched with emotion.

"An explosion," Raph interjected, "but let's not discuss it hear. Leo will explain everything to you and the others once he knows that Don is comfortable." Raph then laid a comforting hand along his daughter's cheek. "Now, we need to get back with the family. I'm sure that Mike has told Rahab. As far as Gaele and Riahna are concerned, they should enjoy a brief reprieve from stress right now. They'll know soon enough." His expression softened as he took note of Gabby's tear-filled eyes. "They're all going to need our support with this."

Nodding between her softly uttered sobs, Gabby allowed her father to take Mindy. "Mom's going to be so heartbroken, Father," she remarked sadly.

"Yes, I know. But, we all are, Gabs. She fought bravely, just so you know. I've never seen anyone fight as well as she did." Raph said pointedly to his daughter. He knew she was still struggling with the way Ramiela had threatened Cassie and trashed her shop. Maybe now, with Don's successful rescue, Gabriella would be able to understand why it was so necessary for all of them to be trained. He could only hope, though. He knew himself well and he knew that his daughter inherited his stubbornness. Sighing, he carried Mindy as he and Gabriella and her family headed back to the residences.

**-**

Later on that evening and once he was certain that Don was on the mend, Leo made the sad announcement about Ramiela's death to the rest of the family.

Earlier, Devon had disappeared soon after arriving, sequestering himself in his room and out of sight. Consequently, Rama's absence was not noticed until that evening. Although Rahab and Gabriella knew about it through their husbands, they were asked to keep it to themselves in order for Leo to do the honors. After all, he was jonin of the clan and had that responsibility for sharing such news.

Leo didn't waste one descriptive in telling them how well Rama had fought and died. He told how she had kept the enemy busy, along with Devon and Seth, while the remaining members of the team brought Don to safety.

Gaele and Riahna reacted to the depressing news as expected, they cried, right along with the others.

However, Cassandra sat stoic on her chair and stared off to one side, working her jaw muscles as she attempted for control. She sighed several times, once looking over at her daughter. A deep sadness was etched on the woman's face, evidence that she had cared much for the young kunoichi warrior. Eventually, one lone tear made its way down her face and she allowed it. Biting her bottom lip, she suppressed all others, though, and remained quiet as Leo continued to explain what had happened.

His own voice broke ever so slightly at one point, when he described how valiantly Ramiela fought, even with the eminent nature of her death.

"She knew she was going to die," Leo explained, "I could sense that from her. There wasn't anything any of us could have done, though…" and it was here when Leo looked hard, yet compassionately, at Devon, "to help her. Sometimes, field work like this goes awry and we just have to learn to accept it. It's not easy, it's not meant to be, but maybe from the example she set, Ramiela might be an inspiration for all of us."

With his final words, Leo then looked over at Gabby. He caught her teary gaze, but then she looked down at her lap as she adjusted her sleeping son to a better position. Jordan yawned once and squeaked a little as he sighed, working his small mouth as if nursing in his sleep. Then the infant stilled as he settled down once again.

As expected, the family grieved as one, with the exception of Devon. As the others cried and consoled each other, he sat emotionless and separate from the rest of the family. He closed himself off to everyone, but most especially to his sister. He refused to even greet her eyes as he felt her look over at him, refusing to accept her silent offer of sympathies. More than anything, he resented the struggle Gabriella was having with his deceased Rags. He had hoped upon the success of their task of rescuing Don, that, during the interim, Gabby might have had a change of heart and finally be able to forgive Rama.

Now, it didn't matter and his anger towards his sister had only grown during the trip back, along with his overwhelming sense of grief. He wanted desperately to blame someone for his loss. Despite their previous closeness, however, it was becoming certain to Devon that a monumental chasm of resentment was developing between himself and his sister – and he didn't care. As far as he was concerned, his life was over and nothing much mattered anymore. He resented his sister's family, her ability to find love, to have children of her own. For him, his Rama, his beloved Rags, was gone forever. He had lost his one true chance at love and he would never again allow himself to feel as he did with her. As far as Devon was concerned, he would close himself off to everything and forever feel the bite of loneliness. In truth and as he was beginning to believe it, maybe he didn't deserve what Rama so temptingly promised him.

Death could be more than physical and in that moment, a death worse than dying had come to Devon. Leo sensed it with alarming clarity. He worried as he watched his nephew sink deeper into his pit of despair, cringed as the boy emotionally folded in on himself as the other members of the clan openly wept and expressed their grief. Leo knew where Devon was headed and it almost stilled his heart. A ninja gone wrong is what Shredder turned out to be. Devon had the capacity to do 'good' but he also had a defiant spirit that promised just the opposite.

As he assessed the boy, Leo decided that his nephew would not be going home with the family; it would be too dangerous and Mike was ill-equipped to handle such a challenge. Instead, even if it took his entire assembly of students, Leo would force Devon to stay behind. His nephew would have to learn all over again how to forgive, how to let go, and how to move on. Otherwise, he would be lost to not only the family, but to himself as well.

Yet, concerning the nearly suffocating emotions that he was feeling form Devon, Leo knew he was going to have an enormous job ahead of him.

-

It was decided, where there wasn't a body to burn or bury, that Rama's memorial would take place after Don was able to get around. Currently, he was recovering quite well, all things considered, although he was still weak from the drugs his captors had forced into him. With one leg in a cast and his arms and head wrapped in gauze, he was propped up in his bed and drinking some of Leo's tea as he talked with his brother.

"I'm so – saddened, Leo. It sounds as if Rama fought well, though." Don sighed. Leo had been bringing him up to speed as far as the rescue and what it cost the team. Don then added, "Still, such a loss. At least, here in this world, she should have been safe." He then gave a small smile however, "Although I must say I am somewhat surprised you managed to get her on a plane again, especially after all the trouble she gave _me_ the last time."

"Devon helped with that, Don. He was deeply in love with Ramiela and she with him. If he hadn't have been there to hold her hand, I think she would have walked to Japan – if she could." Leo chuckled quietly, "Though, I have to admit she wasn't very comfortable with flying, but she did manage to survive it."

As Leo assessed Don's reaction, her death seemed to have dampened his brother's gratefulness to be rescued. It was true that they were all fully aware of the risks they faced whenever going into a fight and, as a result, fully accepted them. Rama had been trained well on this matter, too, and was used to living the kind of life that kept her battle-ready on a moment's notice. She would have recognized the dangers and accepted them as easily as any of them would. The fact she had died with great honor helped ease their grief a little, but in reality none of them had wanted to trade a life for a life.

Don considered what Leo shared with him; that Rama and Devon had been getting along quite well, in spite of their rocky beginning. He had also sensed his nephew's grief when Devon had stopped to talk with him earlier. Don had to admire the boy's ability to shield his quaking spirit, yet the old ninja's experience with discerning emotions was quite keen; he wasn't fooled for a moment.

"So, how _is_ Devon taking it?" he asked kindly of Leo.

"Not very well for the moment," Leo admitted, "Though I don't think he really blames anyone. He's still mad at Gabby for her inability to forgive Rama from what happened at the music shop, but I think she's just an easy target for his anger right now. I suspect it will pass in time, but that doesn't mean he'll find it that easy to let go of as yet." Sighing, he added, "I've decided to keep him in Japan when the family returns to the States."

"You think he'll turn?" Don asked worriedly, taking a sip of tea from his cup.

"He might. I did. Well, I disappeared anyway." Leo shrugged, standing up from his chair. He went over to the window and looked down upon the koi pond below. He noticed Cassie walking up the steps towards Don's house and smiled. She would make all the difference in the world as far as his brother's recovery was concerned.

"You were possessed, Leo. There's a big difference between grief and evil spirits invading you." Don chided good-naturedly.

Leo countered as he squared his shoulders, turning back to face his brother, "Actually, grief can be just as consuming. It's what began my own struggles, with Father's death. I can sense the same turmoil in Devon." Leo shook his head, "No, he needs to stay here, meditate if he can, and be in a place of solitude without the distractions that would keep him from addressing his issues. If he goes back to the States and tries to get back to normal without dealing with his loss, then it's anyone's guess if and when he loses it." Sitting back down on the chair across from where his brother lay, Leo added softly, "Raph would have saved himself and everyone else grief if he had just returned to heal after his divorce from Rahab."

Nodding, Don finally had to agree, "Yes, maybe you're right, but you're also going to have a battle to keep Devon here."

Smiling, Leo smirked, "With my devotees to assist me, I haven't a worry."

"So," Don decided to change the topic a little, "Devon and Rama were in love, eh?"

"Yes, very. In fact…" Leo chuckled a little, "before learning of your situation, I interrupted a little tryst between the two of them before anything could be consummated!"

Don's eyes nearly bugged out, "Really?" He smiled a little, "That serious, eh?" Catching the glint in his brother's eye, he shook his head in amusement, saying, "Who would have thought that Ramiela, with as much trouble as she caused us and with what Devon was adding to it, that those two would get together like that."

"Almost!" Leo held up one finger, smiling once and then sighing, "I did interrupt them, but - I guess it wasn't meant to be."

Don winced in empathy for Devon. If he had fallen for Rama as hard as Leo made it out to be and knowing what Ramiela represented for his nephew, Don knew that the boy's grief and pain over losing her could make the next few weeks or months difficult at best. "Well, I don't envy you. If what you say is true and they were in deep, then Devon won't be easy to live with for a while. It makes me think that I might want to recover back at my place in Big Sur." He then he gave a shake of his head. "It's such a pity, though, that we can't contact her family in some way and let them know about her death, just so they at least don't have to wonder about her."

"Me, too, but neither Ramiela nor I were able to ever reach them, not even once." Leo stated. "And we did try many times, too."

Don looked up at Leo and asked, "I suppose you are planning a memorial for her?"

"In a few more days, when you are more up to it, we will." Leo replied, "Then we can all honor Ramiela's bravery and courage."

Their discussion, however, was interrupted when Cassie stepped into the room. "Well, I see you're still in bed. What do we have to do to get you up off your behind?" she teased. She carried a covered tray in her hands as she stepped over to Don's temporary sleeping spot in the living room. He smiled up at her from the hospital bed, quite pleased with her presence.

Leo cleared his throat and commented, "Well, guess my time here is up. So, I'll leave you two 'love-birds' alone."

"LOVE-BIRDS!" Cassie snapped as she glared at him, "What exactly are you implying, Leo?" Her eyes blazed defiantly, yet there was just a bare hint of amusement there, as well. A slight up-turn at the crease in her mouth betrayed her composure, though, and both Don and Leo caught it.

As Leo started to leave the room and return to his own house, he remarked as he laughed, "Only stating the obvious, Cassie, that's all."

"Obvious, my foot! It's perfectly obvious you've had too much of own tea!" she declared and then sniffed indignantly as Leo quickly left her and Don alone.

As she turned back to present him with his meal, Cassie noticed Don smiling up at her. "What?" she asked in a huff.

"Nothing," he replied smugly, absentmindedly adjusting the sheets around him.

"Nothing my foot!" she exclaimed defiantly. "Why are you staring at me?"

"You keep saying 'foot', my dear. Don't you have any other part of your anatomy to use with that expression?" Don asked as he grinned up at her.

"If you don't quit, I'll kick that other part of YOUR anatomy all the way back to where they scrapped you off the floor!" Cassie seared in mock indignation.

"I just love it when you talk sexy with me!" Don teased back.

As she firmly sat the tray of food down onto his side table, Cassie then pointed a finger at him as she exclaimed, "If it weren't for your current condition, I'd wipe that smile right off of your face!"

"Ah, the sound of sweet-nothings coming from you warms my heart, Cassandra. So glad to be back home!" he cooed, grabbing her outstretched hand and swiftly pulling her down onto him. Now, they were nose to beak, yet Don didn't waste a moment. Quicker and stronger than Cassie expected, Don wrapped his other arm around her shoulders and kissed her full on the lips, deepening his embrace and finding, much to his pleasure, that she didn't resist him.

_"Yes, indeed, it certainly is good to be home,"_ Don thought to himself smugly.

-

**(Happy** **Valentines Day to all our Readers! – from Ramica and Reinbeauchaser)**

-

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS_**

**_Lisa_**_ 15: Don is out of the bad place and on the mend. Trust me the death of Rama does not mean the end of the Rama series I can do plenty of early Rama stories and can use Rama's cousins to fill in the spot and still keep it the Rama series in honour of the brave kunoichi who started it all, or spin it off into a new series using the same characters. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: Rama's death does not mean the end of a series but a new beginning or it could be. Never assume anything that is when the rug gets pulled out from under you. Keep reading for the final answer. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Gemdrive 2000_**_: Rama and Devon sort of like Romeo and Juliet sweet romance, bitter tragedy. We might make you wait a little longer for the epilogue but not by much and hopefully it is worth the wait. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar Ninja_**_: Cliffies can come anywhere and in any shape or size so always be prepared for the next shoe to drop. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender Fanatic_**_: No epilogue at least not yet but it is coming and hopefully you will enjoy it when the tale is good and told. Devon is hurting but it is to be expected. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB Reader_**_: Correct if Rama is dead there is no going home and Mike will never know what happened to his daughter, to find out for sure you like everyone else must keep reading. Crossing your fingers wouldn't hurt either. A gratitude for your insight_

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**

**_LISA15_**_ – Ah, action scenes are the most difficult to write, believe me. That chapter took us all of 2 weeks to construct and go through. As for believing or not believing Rama is gone, it's enough to know that Devon and his family think so. As for Cassie's reaction to Don, guess you know by now! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_ – Rama not dead? Gee, she was in the middle of an explosion; how can she survive that? Maybe Ramica's tired of writing her; after all, Rama does give her a lot of grief. She might be ready to throw in the towel on that kunoichi. Glad you liked the fight scene; it took a lot of sweat to craft! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_ – Please, I hope you are breathing now; we just can't continue until you do, ya know! Glad we did well enough to suck you into the action; makes all our work worthwhile. Well, Dev is certainly and understandably devastated. Rama was, after all, his only chance for a normal family life, as normal as one can get considering he's mutant. As for her survival verses demise, that remains to be seen. I have to agree with you, Devon and Rama were perfect for one another. As for keeping you too long from the ending, I apologize that we've extended the ending a bit, but the chapter length for 58 was originally too long – and I haven't touched what Ramica sent me for the final chapter/epilogue yet. I needed more time. Yeah, selfish of me, but I don't rush my creativity – ever. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

****

**_LUNAR-NINJA_**_ – As if you didn't have enough cliffies to worry about, eh? Evil? Us? Bwahahaha! The surprise is, we're adding one more chapter to this story, so you have that much longer to wait for the ending. Sorry, but it was a logistics matter. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_PRETENDER FANATIC_**_ – Okay, I have my ears plugged; scream away. Do dee do dee do dee do….Can't HEAR you! LOL We'll get the epi going in a bit. Right now, I'm going to take about a three month break and…what? You won't let me? Say, who's in charge here? Okay, okay, I'm working on it, don't get yer feathers ruffled. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER _**_– Sorry for not updating on our normal day, but chapter 57 took a lot of thinking to do and we don't like to rush things. Fight and action scenes are the toughest to create; so many things happening at once and with two groups to contend with – I was pulling my hair out, believe me. It's why you won't see many of these types of scenes in my stories, if I can help it. Sorry about the change in epilogue plans. It's the way it worked out and we run with our muses and our instincts. I don't think I've E-mailed you, but I hope you get that problem worked out soon. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	59. Coming to Terms

**_DISCLAIMER – _**_Well, we're nearing the end; one more after this and it's done. That is, if my muses don't run away with the keyboard. Personally, I like even numbers, so sixty chapters sounds about right to me. _

_This has certainly been the longest story to appear on my Fan Fiction page, yet without Ramica's creativity spurring me on and adding her talents, I don't think it would have been even half as long. So, I blame her for the length! LOL Just kidding, but – seriously – it has been a wonderful experience joining forces with this gal; she is one cool and very generous individual. May all co-write experiences be as pleasant as this one has been. _

_As before and as it always will be, we only own our OC's and the inspiration that crafted this tale. All other known entities, whether real or imagined, are the property of Eastman and Laird. Thanks, guys, for the loan. _

**-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**CHAPTER 59 – Coming to Terms**

Ever since Seth told her about Rama's demise, Gabby had felt horrible about the way she had treated the girl. Although Cassandra had tried in vain to get her daughter to see reason and to come around to forgive the kunoichi, Gabriella was resistant. That is, until she learned of Ramiela's death. Then, it was almost as if the full impact of her inability to forgive weighed upon her. She realized then that she hadn't been fully fair to the younger girl, completely forgetting that the faith she and her husband practiced almost demanded the act of forgiveness. Yet, the ninja's actions during her blood-rage had been so disturbing and had impacted Gabby so terribly, that she had found it extremely difficult to think of Rama in any other way but 'a ninja who was out of control'.

Up until now, she didn't even know how safe the children could be around the kunoichi, when Rama didn't even seem to be capable of controlling herself.

Still, it wasn't lost on Gabby that Rama had willingly headed into battle to rescue Don, ready to face whatever dangers there would be, right alongside her family. She ended up given them all the same second chance that she spoke of at Don's memorial when they thought he was dead. In actuality, Rama was the one who would not have that second chance to know Don or to find a better kind of life that was safe from danger. It all seemed sadly ironic to Gabby and only added to her feelings of guilt.

As she sat in the living room of the Ryu home she and her husband were using, Gabby sighed heavily. She recalled Ramiela's words from the funeral about that second chance. At one point, she had evenn seen Rama turn pleading eyes towards her as the kunoichi spoke. Gabby could sense desperation in the girl, almost as if she were mentally asking her, "_Please_ g_ive me another chance!"_

Instead, Gabby had ignored her, just as she ignored all of her mother's words about giving the truly repentant kunoichi another opportunity. She did come by stubbornness honestly through her father, which only made it more difficult to forgive Rama. With images of the girl's destruction of the store playing repeatedly through her mind and then holding Cassie hostage, not to mention the cut that Mindy received during the fiasco, Gabby couldn't let go of just how dangerous Ramiela could be.

Deciding on getting some fresh air and taking the time to figure out what to do, she gave Seth a kiss and told him she was going for a walk.

"You want company, Gabs?" he asked her as he lay their infant son down inside the child's bassinette.

"No, I need some time to be alone, to think," his wife replied. "I won't be long, maybe I'll take a walk down by the lake where the swans are."

Seth gave her a pensive glance and then stepped over to hug her, planting a kiss on her cheek, "Okay, but if you run into Devon, just give him his space. He needs time to work his grief out."

Gabby nodded in understanding and then quietly slipped out the front door.

As she came out of her temporary home and without thinking, Gabriella found herself heading towards the koi pond. It was a place of serenity for her and it was there that she often went to pray while Seth and the rest of the team were out rescuing Don. She had discovered a quiet and solitary spot near the back of the pond and off the pathway, shielded from pedestrian view by brush and a collection of boulders strategically placed to create the hide. However, as she approached the footbridge, she paused. There, leaning against the railing, was her brother, his shoulders rounded and slumped as he stared dispassionately down into the water's depths. The surface rippled with the large ornamental koi that swam the pond's length, with some floating just below Devon's gaze, curious and hoping for a hand-out.

Gabby licked her lips and swallowed; she could easily feel his pain and grief. In fact, it was nearly overwhelming her. Just the same, she knew what she needed to do, despite Seth's previous warning.

Gabby then took a deep calming breath and, with her resolve solid, she went to stand beside her brother.

"What do you want?" Devon grumbled menacingly, not even turning to look at her. He had sensed her long before she had sensed him. He sniffed at the insult his sister appeared to be to him. _"All her talent, wasted on raising **children**,"_ he scoffed to himself. _"Rama would have kicked her butt all the way back to Carmel!"_ he pined angrily.

Carefully, and remembering what happened the last time her brother was quite irritated with her, Gabby softly replied, "I – just want to tell you how sorry I am, Devon…"

Her brother snapped his head around at her and sneered, narrowing his eyes threateningly, "Yeah, sure you are."

Gabby felt the force of his intent and sucked in her breath, unsure what he was going to do next. It was perfectly obvious to her that he had placed a great deal of ninjitsu into his words. She had just enough training to sense it and to feel its dangerous measure. For a second, she seriously reconsidered approaching him, giving some thought of going the long way around to the lake by climbing the terraced steps where Don's house was situated. From there, it would take her another ten minutes to reach her destination, compared to the shorter route over the bridge. Yet, feeling her brother's almost suffocating grief assured Gabby that harming her was the least of his interests. He only wanted to be alone in his suffering.

However, instead of railing on her some more, he turned and walked away from his sister and down the opposite side of the footbridge. He wanted to be by himself and certainly he didn't want to be around the one person who reminded him of what he would never have. Before the mission, he had a chance for true happiness, a chance to be loved and to love, and a chance to have a real family. Now, he would be spending the rest of his life alone. He then shot back over his shoulder as he tried to retreat from Gabby, "At least, **now**, you won't have to worry about **her**."

Gabriella could sense that Devon was trying to build a wall between them, hiding his grief and pain behind his snide remarks. She knew she would have to tread carefully, though, if she were to appease him. She would never be able to forget Devon's quick lesson to her about respect, back when she had been new to the clan. Yet, in spite of how fast Gabby knew her brother could move and the things he could do to her, she really didn't want to see him hurting like he was either.

As she tried to catch up with him, she called out, admitting, "Devon, I realize what Rama meant to you," He already had a good ten yards of a head start, but she made up the ground quickly, nonetheless.

Just before she would have been even with him, however, he suddenly whirled around, causing her abruptly stop. He eyed her in distaste as he spat out, "It all comes a bit too late for you to try and apologize now."

Gabby could detect that his breathing was irregular, as if he were wrestling with an overwhelming adversary. He trembled involuntarily from pent up grief and his face contorted ever so slightly as he fought for control Devon then remarked, his voice husky with emotion, "It's also too late for me, too." Then, recovering faster than she could measure, he snapped as he stepped towards her, causing Gabby to back up a few paces, "Rama loved children, Gabs; she had been around far more kids than _you_ will ever be able give birth to. Yet, you couldn't even give her a smidgen of time with yours?"

Gabby cringed at the sting in Devon's words, her feelings of guilt only adding to the affect. Just the same, her own stubborn resolve refused to let her back down as she tried to explain, "How could I possibly trust her, Devon, when she trashed…"

But Devon seemed determined to not let her get a word in edgewise as he interrupted her, "What, that she went off the deep-end; that she lost it for a moment?" He shot out. "Sure is funny that _you,_ Sis, are allowed to go nuts and cause all kinds of trouble, yet you're forgiven for such behavior. But Rama isn't permitted the same right?" He looked her up and down, a scowl on his face as he spat sarcastically, "All that fancy Christianity you and Seth preach. You're nothing but a hypocrite, you know that!" He slashed his tail in extreme agitation, slamming it down so hard against the ground that Gabby could feel the vibration from it. Small clouds of dust puffed up around them from the impact.

Her eyes widened just a little at the amount of energy Devon had in his tail. Gabby had never really thought of it as a weapon until Seth had told her about the battle soon after returning back to their temporary home. Although she sensed that he had abbreviated much of what actually happened, Seth did share with her about how he had upended more than his share of combatants with his iguanid tail. Yet, she had only known Seth to use his tail in the most gentle of ways. Now, seeing her brother's irritation expressed through his and only using a marginal amount of power behind it at that, she swallowed nervously.

As the small clouds of dirt settle back down along the pathway, she was able to focus on the task of confronting him again. She knew that Devon's words were a result of his unrelenting grief, yet she couldn't help but take offense to his remark. She bristled ever so slightly as she refuted between clenched teeth, "I am not a hypocrite, Dev!"

"Oh, aren't you? Let's recap your adventures, shall we?" Devon spouted in contempt, "You decide all on your own what's good for Min, a mutant and who will probably be destined to taunts and teasing her whole life, like I was, because she's so different. You don't have a clue what it is to be ninja because you're too busy going to church and popping babies out."

Gabby sneered, "I don't pop babies out, Dev. I've only had two, remember? Certainly not as many as your mother seemed to enjoy having, not to mention all the fathers involved with that!"

"Let's leave my mother out of this, Gabs. Her circumstances were different, okay." Devon's tail was lashing again, so Gabby decided to let that one slide. "As I was saying," Devon began again, and more forcibly, "you knew **diddly** about clan life and being **ninja**, yet you willingly **drug** your husband **and** your daughter, and then sneak off property like a **thief** to take off with Min, without any plans to ever **return**." Devon glared venomously at his sister as he dragged his next words out, "If you ask me, it sounds pretty selfish. You didn't even seem to care about who you hurt."

Her emotions were piquing, now, and she trembled with pent up rage, "I know what I did was wrong, Devon, and I made a mistake. I'm willing to pay for my mistake, too, even willing to let Leo take Mindy. I wasn't expecting him to change his mind, though; I never begged him to. He alone decided to let her stay."

"A mistake _you_ were forgiven for, keep that one in mind. And, for your information, Leo only let Mindy stay because of what _Rama_ told him." Devon seethed.

Gabby's own misdeeds still weighed heavily upon her heart. She looked away from Devon and gulped. She knew the enormity of what she had done and what interference Rama had exercised on her behalf, which only made it more difficult for her to match his gaze. Yet, she had to admit, "I know, Dev. That's what my mom told me while you were gone." She then turned to look at him again as she remembered the role that the jonin of the clan played, "But we both know that Leo is the one to make those decisions, regardless of who he talks to for advice." A single tear managed to escape the corner of her right eye, trailing half-way down her cheek before Gabby quickly wiped it away with the back of her hand.

"What Rama said, Gabs, influenced his final decision though." Devon insisted firmly. His anger was levelling out a little, realizing that his sister truly did feel remorse for her conduct from only two weeks earlier.

"Okay, fine, so I made a mistake." Gabby admitted once again.

Not wasting the opportunity, Devon pounced on her words, "That's correct, Sis! And Rama forgave you for that mistake, even though what you did was very much like what her own mother did to her."

"I am **not** like _Shay_." Gabby snapped defensively, "I thought I was protecting Mindy. I wasn't out to **kill** any body or even **exploit** them like she was. How **DARE** you even compare me to that – _witch_!"

"Yeah, well drugging and kidnapping seemed to be a thing Rama's mother was known for, which is what you did, regardless of the circumstances." Devon smirked.

Gabby bristled once again, "I did not kidnap Mindy; she's _my_ daughter! I had every right to protect her according to my understanding of things."

"Yeah?" Devon countered, "You may think you had the right to protect her, but she's still part of this family, Gabs. It's not like there's a whole community of us. Where would you have gone to and still be safe? You found out the hard way what might have happened. And, despite the fact that Seth isn't Min's natural father, he's still more father to her than Jason could ever be. By going behind his back, you essentially kidnapped Mindy."

Gabby swallowed back a sob as she tried to restrain her tears. She never thought that what she did could be construed as kidnapping. She would admit, with much repentance, to drugging her daughter, maybe even taking her without her husband's knowledge. Yet, to be accused of kidnapping her? Devon was reaching for straws, now, Gabby was certain of it. He had turned her attempt to apologize against her and, instead, changed the topic to her recent misadventures. Just the same, his words still stung, still hurt and Gabriella had all she could do to keep from running back to Seth in tears. Why oh why couldn't her brother just listen to her for once and accept what she had to say without argument. Why did he always have to challenge her?

Devon continued determinedly as he shared with her about what else Ramiela had told him, "Rama told me later that her family never bothered going into a great detail about what Shay did to her, more than likely because she was permanently out of their lives." Devon smirked a bit as he added, knowing how well Gabby was going to respond, "Almost like - Jason was, right, Sis? Didn't you try to permanently put him out of your life?"

Gabriella cowed just a little. She tried to shielded herself from the unsettling memories conjured up with hearing Jason's name again, "What has that got to do with any thing?" she mumbled softly.

Devon shrugged, rather enjoying the effect he was having on his sister, "If _he_ was here right now, how would you react, Gabs? What if you had one of our father's sais, hmm? I seem to recall on that Halloween night, that you were willing to plunge a knife into Jason, even willing – as I found out later – of pulling him out to the Monterey Trench and making sure no one found him."

Gabby was now trembling, "I know what I wanted to do, Devon, but I've changed. I don't have any interest in killing anyone; it's that which caused me to take Mindy away in the first place. I didn't want her to learn how to kill; you know that."

Devon regarded her for a moment, the memory of the battle still quite fresh in his mind. Guardedly, he said, his voice leveling out as his own emotions began to resurface once again, "Maybe so, Sis, maybe you'll never be able to kill – as I did a few days ago." He watched as her eyes widened a little. Devon knew that his brother would not have told her everything about what went on during the rescue. "That's right, I killed, as did Seth, and we killed more than he or I could count or remember in number. Yet, it was for a good cause and the end results are that we rescued Don and brought him back alive." He paused as he noticed her shudder, before adding, "The ability to kill is never taught without pairing it with the wisdom to spare a life, Gabby. Sanctity of life is the most sacred rule and lesson that we teach. It predates the lessons in how to kill by a good eight years." For a moment, Devon had to push back his grief as it tried to consume him once again. Losing Rama had made the success of their mission bittersweet at best and it was more bitter than sweet for Devon.

Yet, he was able to regain self-control as he came back to the original discussion, "Either way, Sis, you were forgiven for that attempt on Jason's life and for when you tried to take off with Mindy. We all know because of what Jason did to you, how he abused you, that it made you want to kill him that Halloween. Then, the forest battle and the aftermath, would only compound that experience. As it was for you, it was the same thing for Rama. The way she reacted to Cassie was because of what her mother did to her. Seeing that Cassandra was almost identical to Shay was a memory trigger of sorts," Devon then explained further, "She didn't stop to think that just because Cassie looked like her mother, didn't mean she _was_ her mother. She just reacted. She was punished for her transgressions, of course, yet we all forgave her in the end. As a clan, when the jonin forgives, we all forgive; that's what holds us together. Yet, you wanted to hold it over her indefinitely." Devon accused bitterly. "How can a clan, divided on even one issue, stand united? We just can't."

Gabby was now beginning to realize that some of her behavior had been hypocritical, especially when compared to how the family had treated her and how she had behaved towards the kunoichi. Although she had already realized this fact, hearing her brother's painful accusation reaffirmed the truth even more. She bowed her head silently for a moment in contrition as she shed a few more tears. She then looked away, unable to deny Devon's words anymore.

"Leo should have let Rama train Mindy, Gabs," Devon continued softly, "just to get you over your fear of what you thought Rama might do to her." Devon then smirked a bit, "But he gave in and said I would be training her instead. Seems you've had things your way all along and now you're telling me that you're sorry?" Devon shook his head slowly "Why should I forgive you when you couldn't even forgive Rama?"

Gabby sighed, "I realize, now, that I wasn't fair to her, Devon. I am sorry and I mean that and meant it when I first said it a few minutes ago. I suppose it would be your right to not forgive me or even hold it against me." She sniffed and gulped back a sob as she wrung her hands, "I'm sorry for the way I treated Rama; I know it was wrong." Gabby sighed as she looked up at her brother, her eyes brimming with tears, "I am also very sorry that you lost her and a chance to have a family. I realize that I don't know much about ninjitsu, yet - maybe if I understood it more - I could have accepted its traditions and accepted her better."

Devon took a deep shaky breath, trying to calm himself. He knew his words had hurt Gabby and in the end no matter what he said or did, there were a couple of truths that he had to face. Gabby would always be his sister and a member of the clan, and, no matter what, nothing could change the fact that Rama was now dead.

"Forget it, Gabs" he relented morosely, "It won't change matters anyways," he muttered. "Rama's – gone and I know she won't be coming back."

Gabby stepped forward and reached out to him, placing an arm around Devon, "I think she knew how much you loved her, Dev. The whole family knew." She said. Suddenly, her brother pulled her into him, hugging her and buried his face into her auburn hair. At first Gabby was shocked, but then as she felt his body shudder and heard him quietly sob, she realized he was crying. Now, her own regret and sorrow broke forth, the two of them weeping into each other's embrace.

"I was going to ask her to m- marry me, Gabs. Right after we rescued D-Don," Devon sobbed, his voice hitching a little while he spoke.

"And," Gabby said softly between her tears, "I'm sure she would have said 'yes'."

Pulling away from her with reddening eyes, Devon asked, "You think she would have?"

"Well," Gabby smirked slightly as she wiped her eyes dry, "if she didn't, I think my mom and I would have ended up having a word or two with her! But, yes, I think she would have."

The two stood there in silence for a moment, each settling down from their confrontation. Both sighed at the same time as they looked at one another.

"You know, Sis," Devon said sarcastically, "you sure are a stubborn lot!"

Laughing a little, Gabby replied, "Well, I think we both come by that one naturally!"

Devon chuckled as if in agreement. Then, slowly, brother and sister walked off together down the path and towards the pond, arm in arm. As they talked, they shared their grief over losing Rama and allowed the healing for both of them to begin. As they rounded a bend in the walkway and disappeared among the bushes, Leo stepped out from behind a hedge and watched their retreating backs. He maintained his vigil until they rounded yet another turn in the pathway and slipped past a grouping of tightly knit trees, talking quietly with each other about the kunoichi, Ramiela.

As they finally disappeared from his view, Leo turned towards the footbridge and headed for Don's house up the hill and which sat overlooking the koi pond. He glanced back towards the direction that Gabby and Devon had gone and reached out with his senses, just to make sure. Then, he smiled and resumed his march towards his convalescing brother. It seemed to him that Devon had already begun his healing, as had Gabby, and it was news he couldn't wait to share with Don.

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS_**

**_Pacphys: _**_You are doing a wonderful job of flying through the old chapters to catch up to the grand finale. You have commented and reviewed so much. Yes, Leo of Gabby's world has learned that Rama is into far more then a few simple practical jokes. When writing the scene in the music store I tried to fit something that would suit Rama and the given situation. Plus Rama does love the Phantom anyways. A gratitude for your many insights._

**_Sailor Vegeta_**_: You are free to believe what ever you choose. Ah, poor Devon in deed all alone and hurting so deeply. I don't think he would care to hear that old saying of better to have loved and lost then never love at all. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB Reader:_**_ Right now I think I have Raph, Mike, and Devon trying to kill me. At the moment I am keeping a very low profile and hoping for the best. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Digimon Girl:_**_ Here is your update only the epilogue to go now. So enjoy and savour. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Gemdrive2000:_**_ Unfortunately you had to wait at least for a little bit. Yes Devon lost a great deal when he lost Rama and he is fully aware of all that he has lost with her demise. But it seems Devon might be starting to come around so hopefully he won't slip off as Leo fears. Course he still has a great deal of healing to do before he is fully better. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar Ninja: _**_So glad you enjoyed Reinbeauchaser's added scenes of Don/Cassie and Mike/Rahab they are cute couples aren't they. Too bad Gabby couldn't have shown as much excitment upon seeing Seth but Gabby still has a few things she needs to work out herself. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pretender fanatic:_**_ Glad to hear you aren't upset over the added chapters. Tell the truth though you really wanted to check your e-mails and it seemed to have paid off in another chapter for you. A gratitude for your insight._

**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS_**

**_PACPHYS_**_: Wow, you're reading like a madman, er, person. I'm impressed with the amount of reading from you so far. I like how you've condensed your reviews, too, not that I don't like long reviews, but the way you've condensed the points that stood out for you was really cool. As I mentioned, when I E-mailed you, this particular TMNT universe was begun by Wendy A Peabody with her Descendent series. Great reading, in my humble opinion. Anyway, glad you seem to be enjoying it. Hopefully, you'll be up to speed in no time, although we are nearing the end. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_SAILOR VEGETA_**_: Ah, yes, we really and truly tortured Don, didn't we! So much fun. Well, believe what you will as there's still one more chapter, or epilogue, to go. We have that one done, except for proof reading and adding or detracting here and there. Might even put that one up by Friday. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Ah, isn't fan fiction neat? So many unexpected twist and turns with this website. Might be the server they're using, too. I've noticed lately that I can't just log onto it. I have to go through an author alert story to get to my web page. Well, we might put up the next chapter on Friday. I have to see if Ramica is open to that. Yes, we'd like to put this one 'to bed', as they say, so we can move on to other ventures. As for Rama if she lives or dies, who knows? One more chapter and we'll all find out, right? Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_DIGMON GIRL_**_: Hey there, glad you love this story; we sure loved writing it! Stay tuned, though; one more chapter and we can say, "Finis." Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_GEMDRIVE2000_**_: Glad you're back to 'sucking wind'. LOL Yes, I have to agree that Devon and Rama seem perfect for one another. In truth, their romance was sort of a last minute thing before we began writing this fic. Ramica and I swapped ideas and then one of us – not sure who – suggested a romance. I mean, Rama's been pining away to have a boyfriend, yet in her world the likelihood of that happening was nil to none. Now, here she was in this other alternate TMNT universe and – behold – a vision of beauty, or, more to the point, an attitude with a tail, comes waltzing her way. Yeah, a match made in heaven, for sure. I think you were rightly concerned about Devon's attitude getting only worse and maybe tweaking his reasoning and all. As things are turning out, maybe we're a little premature about our concerns? Well, as far as Don getting better, remember the amazing healing properties of Leo's 'famous' tea, or infamous tea if you as Rama about it? Yeah, it's great stuff. Wish we knew what he put into it; Ramica and I could be gazillionairs over night if we could market it. LOL Had to put a bit of mush into the turtles return, if only to get things rolling along towards our Happy Valentines Day wish to our readers. Glad you didn't balk about the change in plans to end this at chapter 59. Thanks for that, as well as for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

**_LUNAR NINJA_**_: Ah, Don's in love with Cassie, can't you tell? He has been for almost three years. I was going to write a little Valentines Day one-shot or two around his recovery after this story was done, but I didn't have any time over the weekend, which is why I tagged chapter 58 with a Happy Valentines Day greeting to everyone! I may do so after all is said and done, though; I doubt anyone will shoot me for being a tad late, eh? Yeah, Mike knows his wife and he's ninja; probably projected some amorous feelings into her to take the edge off of her concern and frustration. I debated about that, but I figured he was as concerned about returning alive as she was having him back and such things to germinate romance. Tee hee. As for Rama, let the next chapter determine what Ramica had decided on the kunoichi's fate. Should she live or should she fade out of the picture for good? Hmm… Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._

_P**RETENDER FANATIC**: Ah, what a good friend you are; keeping your buddy company while she can't talk. Sounds like you just want to make sure you don't get interrupted! Bwahahaha…. Anyway, nice of her to encourage you to check your E-mail; little did she know that you'd be 'babysitting' our update, instead! LOL Yes, we had to wedge Splinter in there somewhere. I thought it a good fit. Leo was possessed by Saki's evil spirit as he was a sorcerer when he was alive. The story, Seth, was one very weird and engaging fic; not for the faint of heart where it concerns theology. Very, very deep, but great reading. Anyway, one more chappy and then 'finis'. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


	60. Love Transcending

**_DISCLAIMER: _**_Well, this is it, the last update for Reflected Reality. Before we talk about who owns who, here are a few heartfelt sentiments from two very tired writers._

**_RAMICA_** _Thanks to all our readers who worked their way through this epic story that grew way out of proportions to what both author's were planning. _

_Thank you to the many readers who reviewed either occasionally or on a regular basis, you know who you are. It is greatly appreciated, especially helped us when offering not only the praise but the constructive criticism or pointing out flaws that the two authors somehow missed. You helped make this story what it is._

_Big thanks to my co-author Reinbeauchaser, for so many numerous things. Writing with her has been a pleasure, and I have told her she can borrow Rama, to which Rama is all too agreeable. This story would not be what it is if it hadn't been for her help._

**_REINBEAUCHASER_**_: I would like to take this moment to thank Ramica for being so willing to co-write with me. At this point, I can't even remember who was first to present the idea about sending Ramiela into Gabby's world. Personally, I think we both came up with the notion of writing such a story at about the same time. Interesting how great minds work alike, eh? LOL Ramica's creativity knew no bounds. Whenever I would hit that proverbial wall, she was there with a storyline. Sometimes, many times, she would just take over the chapters, allowing me to add my 2-cents worth to the story and augment to my hearts content. She even put up with my obsessive-perfectionist tendencies, too. Ramica is a most generous lady, by far._

_Anyway, I would especially like to thank everyone who read, whether you left a review or not. Your input and critique, as well as pointing out areas that conflicted or created a plot hole, was indispensable. Where we could, we made changes all because of the literary eagle-eyes that favored us with their participation. Thanks, one and all. _

_This last instalment is over ten thousand words, a rather long read, but one we feel ties things up rather nicely – we hope. We also tried a song-fic near the end. The song fits well with the ending, yet with this being a first for a song-fic from us, only your comments will let us know if we did it right. If you want to hear a snippet of the song – and I do mean 'snippet' – just E-mail me and I can send you the web address and instructions. It's from Sarah Brightman's 'Eden' album. Wouldn't it be neat if Fan Fiction had a way of allowing us to showcase a 'theme song' of sorts? Yeah, that would be cool. _

_Just the same and as before, the TMNT's are owned by E&L, while Rahab, Riahna, Seth, Gaele, Devon, and Thomas are owned by W. A. Peabody. Ramica is manager of Rama, while Gabby, Mindy, and Jordan are properties of Reinbeauchaser's imagination. _

_Be blessed._

**Chapter 60 – Epilogue: Love Transcending**

The heat from the blast seemed distant, yet in her mind she could 'feel' its intensity as clearly as if she were right in the middle of it. For a quick second between the explosion and her next awareness, Rama could see the courtyard, the erupting crater with its fireball of destruction, and - beyond that - the clan as they dove for cover. She then crushed her eyes closed against the sudden bright glare of the growing fire and turned away, certain that she was going to die - or maybe she was already dead. Rama wasn't quite sure, because it seemed to take forever for fate to decide its verdict. Then, as her impatience for Nirvana grew beyond her capacity to cope, she opened her eyes again.

For a second, or maybe two, her mind was in complete conflict with what she was seeing. The battle area shimmered, as if not quite in focus, fluctuating with graduating speed as if changing to something else. It almost made her nauseous, as if she were back on that retched boat that took the team to Busuanga Island. Then, she felt a familiar tingling sensation with her confusion, the way an arm or a leg would feel after its circulation was cut off for a moment. Suddenly, as if she were waking from a bad dream, the fluxing view stabilized.

Now, she found herself staring in total disbelief. Whipping her head around in a panic unfamiliar to her, Rama's breathing quickened just a little.

"Wait, this cannot be right," she whispered hoarsely and nearly out of breath. She swallowed back the bile that threatened to extravasate from her as she tried to quell her nausea. Her heart then began to resonate against her plastron in heightening anxiety.

Just the same, where she stood, she could feel the prosaic texture of black tar paper beneath her feet. A cool, biting wind played with her braid. It tossed it about as if teasing her into believing that she was no longer on a humid island in the South China Sea, but completely somewhere else. It was obvious to Rama that she was standing on top of a rather tall building. Yet, as the breeze coursed over her body, it cooled the various cuts and abrasions she had earned in the recent battle. It only reminded her that she was not dead and, more importantly, she was not dreaming. She then blinked repeatedly, fearing that maybe she was hallucinating, instead. It was quite possible and maybe, in reality, she was suffering within the fire. Maybe her meditative mind was giving her a vision of comfort, protecting her from the horrors of burning to death.

However, the longer she stood there, the longer she allowed herself to be opened to her senses, she felt a cry rise up in her throat. Rama gasped as the last vestiges of her previous confusion faded out entirely and was replaced with what she now saw before her.

Her view was not of the courtyard or of the clan running to safety. Instead of soldiers blocking her way, Rama now saw towering skyscrapers. They shot up into the darkened, starlit sky, like silver fingers groping for room. As the wind danced around her, caressing her arms and legs, it seemed to be saying, _"You're home, you're home."_

It was night time, that much she was sure of, yet it didn't play with her mind as much as the scene before her did. The sight was familiar and one that she definitely thought she would never see again. She stilled her breathing, holding her breath, closing her eyes again, and reopening them as if maybe, just maybe she might wake up. However, there was no mistaking the man-made structures or their familiar design. Moreover, the wind kept reminding her that she was indeed not asleep and not dreaming or hallucinating.

As it was, the comparison was quite striking to her. The concrete and steel edifices were a far cry from the simple thatched roofs of the barracks she saw only moments earlier. That, alone, said that she was back in New York City. Even the varied intermingling scents, wafting up from the various restaurants far below her, were common for the Big Apple and not the jungle of a Filipino island.

Rama took a large deep breath, as if to reacquaint herself with her surroundings, but she quickly coughed as the polluted air reached her lungs. It was in sharp contrast to the clean air at Mike's home in Big Sur or at Leo's pristine mountain ryu in Japan. She then scowled, knowing where she was, a small fear beginning to grip her. Rama was certain that she had teleported again, yet, considering its capriciousness, she didn't know what world she was in, now. Recalling the tingling sensation when she first arrived and comparing that to her previous three experiences, she knew that she could be just about anywhere and in any universe. The only thing that concerned her was how ill she felt at first. As she thought about it though, one thing was different this time.

_"I didn't have my eyes closed for this one,"_ she mused, _"Guess that says I better stay away from any Coney Island rides!" _She chuckled just a little at the irony. Ninja she may be, but it was certain abrupt changes in her equilibrium did not bode well for her stomach.

Just the same, if this world was her world, then she could not afford to walk freely among the inhabitants below. However, if it was Devon's world, then she could easily climb down and not worry about being seen.

It was then that she realized that she was still holding the twin katana swords Leo had loaned her for the mission. If, indeed, this was still Devon's world, she knew that she would have to stash the weapons somewhere safe. Drawing the left sword out in front of her in worry, she studied the handle and its design. She noticed splatters of blood as it freckled the green, inlaid hilt. Contrary to how it was applied, its redness contrasted between the jade in the handle, giving it an almost cheerful appearance. A deep crimson stain along the steel blade was another reminder to the number of Foot she had killed during the rescue. Even though it had only been ten minutes since she had teleported, the battle now seemed far away.

At least, it seemed that way to Rama.

Nevertheless, it came back to her that, if this was indeed Devon's world, then she could not walk among the populace carrying such a weapon. She remembered how upset he had been when she had taken the one shuriken to Carmel without his knowledge. With Don so well-known in New York, she really didn't want to cause trouble for the family by having herself arrested for bearing arms in the city. For a moment, she thought of him and hoped that, if this was his world, the family had succeeded in getting him to safety. She then thought of Devon and an ache filled her heart. Part of her prayed that this was her beloved's world. She hoped that she had only transported to New York in the same way she had traveled from the dojo at Mike's place to Devon's bedroom. For just a moment, she smiled at the memory, longing for her beloved all over again. Still, as she studied her weapons, Rama knew she had to make a decision.

As she weighed the wisdom of either hiding her borrowed katanas or taking them with her, Rama realized that there was a third alternative to consider. It nearly made her quake, though. It was possible that she had traveled to a different world entirely and, therefore, to a different New York City.

However, Rama couldn't help but to laugh out loud, almost derisively at absurdity of her situation. Had anyone told her weeks ago about the idea of teleporting from one world to another, she would have laughed in their face. Yet, after being in an alternate existence for nearly two months, with twins of her father and uncles living there and with freedoms she could only dream about, such an idea now had far more credence than it did before.

As she looked out across from where she stood on the rooftop to the city beyond, she took in the taller skyscrapers. Thinking back to when Don Tello had rescued her, she wished she had stayed in New York just a little longer. Maybe then, she would have had some way to tell if this world was his or the one where her family resided – or something different all together. At least, she would have had a guideline to help her discern the differences.

Yet, despite her concerns, she saw that the structures were just as bright as she had last remembered them, their brilliance competing hungrily against the dark, star-filled sky. A myriad of colors, blinking and winking along man-made structures as the atmosphere bent their light, beckoned for her to believe she was truly home.

Shaking her head, however, Rama dismissed that idea. The last thing she needed to do, now, was to get bogged down with the mind-numbing possibilities of opening more doors to other alternate worlds. Sighing, she focused her thoughts on what she needed to do next, using just a little meditation to help her. Just the same, she was careful not to use too much, her fear of jumping into the next world greatly sobering her curiosity.

As she gathered her bearings, she began to notice a subtle lightening of the sky. The stars were fading a little more and it was then that Rama knew the sun was soon to rise. Morning was fast approaching and she knew she would have to make a decision quickly as to what to do before the city woke up.

"_Play it safe, Rama," _she advised herself_, "and assume that this **is** your home, at least for now."_

She decided that she would head in the direction of where she knew the lair was. From where she stood, the closest safe entry into the sewers was only about five blocks away. If she stayed to the rooftops in the way she was used to and if she hurried, she would make it before the first rays of the new day found their way over the horizon. If she discovered that the clan was no longer living where knew her sewer home was, then she would stash her weapons and rummage through some dumpsters for a disguise. From there, she would then head on over to the library to get some time on the computers. A little poking around on the Internet would give her sufficient information if there were a Don Tello or a Mike Angelo living in this world. After all, with their businesses, she expected at least one of them to have a website, or, at the bare minimum, some trivial bit of information on them.

As she thought about it, a person could find just about anyone on the 'net, unless, that is, they were a mutant ninja turtle living in the sewers!

Rama was finding, much to her chagrin, that it was a strenuous exercise for her to travel from rooftop to rooftop to the target alley. She was rather surprised by this, yet she was forced to realize that it had been too long since the last time she had traveled that way. Just the same and despite her irritation with herself for being so out of shape, she felt a slight giddiness as she leaped across the tops of the buildings. She remembered that this was the fun part of patroling, the excitement of flying through the air between structures as she bridged their distance.

Though she deftly kept herself from view, Rama was keenly alert to any human activity along the street below. Despite her multi-week hiatus from such activities, it didn't take long for Rama to remember her training. She didn't have any use for it while in Devon's world. Consequently, she had become accustomed to not worrying about such matters. Now, it was all coming back to her like a second nature, which was more true than not.

Just the same, in less time than she thought it would take her, Ramiela arrived at the alley in question. Making sure that she would not be seen, she easily scaled down the wall and to the concrete ground below. She then made it to the nearest manhole cover before anyone could chance upon her. Effortlessly lifting and then sliding the lid to one side just enough to slip underneath, she eased into the darkened world of the sewers. Just before dropping to the tunnel floor, she then pulled the cover quietly back into place, just as she had been taught, and leaving no trace of her existence for anyone to discover.

As she stepped down off the ladder, she couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the pungent scent that now wafted up to her nostrils. It was in direct contrast to the world above and, by her immediate reaction, not an improvement.

"_Oh_, y_uck! How gross can you get?" _she wondered to herself as she screwed up her face in disgust. "_Funny, I don't recall the sewers ever smelling this badly before."_

However, she knew that for years she had grown up in and around such smells and had learned to dismiss them, almost as if they didn't exist. Now, after being away from it for as long as she had, the variegated stench of sewer-refuse seemed worse. She wondered if she would ever be able to get used to it again, that is if she was indeed back on her home world.

Shaking her head to clear her mind and to dismiss her current discomfort, Rama moved silently out from the bottom of the sewer shaft and into the tunnels themselves. She kept to the shadows and the drier side of the tunnel. It was an oxymoron at best, though, considering the sizable amount of runoff that had collected there. The water flowed lazily down the center in the culvert and on towards the East River. The gentle sound of its rushing echoed melodiously off the damp concrete walls of the sewer tunnels. The lap of water against the sides of the culvert masked her footfalls, an advantage her family used whenever they progressed through the labyrinth of underground pathways.

Just the same and regardless if this was her world, Devon's world, or a different world entirely, Rama kept her senses on high alert. It didn't matter that she was on what she considered to be her 'turf'. Rama knew she was never safe from being seen, or secure from any possible attack from her clan's dreaded enemy. Again, she had to assume that she had teleported back to her world. Yet, as she walked along, she tried to piece together the events, to see if there was a clue hidden within her most recent teleporting experience.

She recalled how desperately she wanted to see her father and family again. By her reckoning, her thoughts occurred just before the blast and before she thought of Nirvana. The fact that she was back in New York City, confirmed to her, at the very least, she wasn't dead. Rama also thought the blast might have been her ticket, so to speak, yet if that was the case, what propelled her into Devon's room? Other than her desires to see him and the loneliness she felt from her temporary expulsion, there wasn't anything explosive to consider.

_Maybe the strong desire to be somewhere and the deep meditative state of mind are the key components to my jumping from one world to the next?" _she thought. However, Rama groaned when she realized how much that sounded like her Uncle Donatello's reasoning.

Shaking her head, she dismissed that 'horror' and focused her concerns for the moment with crossing paths with any city workers. She knew they would often come down to do regular maintenance on the tunnels, clearing out clogged arteries in the system in order to keep the water flowing in times of rain. Of course, in her world, the added worry was finding Foot Soldiers roaming the sewers in their quest to capture or even to kill anyone from her family.

As Rama walked the sewer tunnel, she began to recognize characteristics in the walls that seemed more that vaguely familiar. Keeping alert for anyone else in her vicinity, she studied the nuances in the wall of the concrete tunnel. She was looking for nearly undetectable guides as she walked along. Her family had a way of marking the walls in order to direct friend or family to their lair. They were haphazard in design and not the least bit obvious. To the untrained and uninformed eye, they looked like nothing more than a loosened brick, or a crumbled spot on the wall, or even a tree root that managed to find its way down there through cracks in the concrete above. The guides, though, were cleverly applied and used; so much so that not even the Foot were wise to them. She knew that if any were down there, her location and what world she was in would no longer be a mystery. Suddenly, her excitement began to grow little by little as she spied the first one.

While Rama followed the signs, she came to a tight bend in the tunnels. With her keen senses, she was suddenly alerted to someone coming her way. She stopped and listened, slowing her breathing. She tried to determine who it was. She could detect not a sound and not one stray beam of light that would identify them as a city worker. The fact that she could not sense their thoughts told her that they had the training and ability to mentally shut down. It was then that she believed they might be Foot soldiers. What startled her even more was that, who ever they were, they were trying very hard not to be noticed.

It was becoming obvious to her that they, too, were on high alert as well.

Rama dipped deeper into her ninjitsu so she could get enough information to decide whether it was a friend or foe. Yet, whoever was coming her way, they were shielding themselves all too well.

Unable to gasp even a tiny stray thought, she took a defensive position. Rama quickly slipped into a nearby T-junction in the sewer tunnel, just before the bend in the pipes. Finding deeper shadows there, she shrank into them, maintaining her own mental cloaking as she did. She reached over her shoulder and silently withdrew the borrowed twin katanas from their sheaths. She progressed even deeper into her ninja meditation. She slowed her breathing down and emptied her mind so that, whoever was there, would not be alerted to her until the last moment when she would strike.

Unsure if it was an enemy, Rama decided to act only in defense. She recalled all of Leo's recent lessons to her about acting, as opposed to reacting. She mentally went over the new and exciting techniques that he had taught her while she was staying at Mike's. It was obvious that the difference in age between him and her sensei at home had given him more opportunities to develop better fighting styles. In actuality, they had enhanced what she already knew and she remembered thinking how exciting it would be if she had the opportunity to show her family. She had to admit that the new routines had definitely improved her fighting, if the efficiency of her kills during the battle on Busuanga Island was any proof. In a small way, Rama felt a subtle rush of adrenaline as she anticipated using what Leo had taught her against the Foot; that is if the Foot did indeed exist in this world.

She sensed the unknown presence draw closer and suddenly felt that there were more than one, maybe even more than two. In frustration, she couldn't quite discern how many there were. However, they continued to be cautious, as well, as they approached her location. It almost seemed as if that had been alerted to her, despite her attempts to be invisible.

She felt her irritation rise just a little

As they closed in on her location, she saw them seconds before they came around the corner. Though her maai told her of their presence, they were still shadowed and a mystery to her. Yet as quickly as she had, they drew their weapons, ready for attack.

Implementing her new-found skills, Rama responded without thought, but with purpose and design. Like a green flash with silver streaks of lightening in each hand, she leaped out with her katanas, executing quickly, yet not with intent to harm, but to disarm. She was met immediately by her unknown assailants, as they almost reacted as quickly as she had. Yet, in four swiftly delivered movements and executed faster than her opponents were prepared to deflect, Rama virtually removed their weapons from their possession. In less time than it took for her to suck in a breath, Rama literally disarmed her would-be attackers. Not a drop of blood was spilled in the process, which was a good thing, since the next voice sounded far too familiar to her.

"Whoa, what the **hell**!"

"Rama?"

They were all now standing where the soft intermittent light of the sewer system washed over them. Rama blinked, not quite accepting what she was seeing, which was becoming an all too frequent feeling for her of late. Though the voices were strangely familiar, Rama hadn't stopped to register who they might belong to. She had acted only on instinct, while using her training, as she didn't have anything to confirm that those who were following her might be family. She had only moved and reacted in defense of herself.

Yet, as she allowed herself to believe what she was seeing, it was becoming quite clear to her what world she was truly in. She smiled, though hesitantly at first. Again, she was wrestling with her desire to be back with Devon, knowing she had found something with him that her home-world would never be able to give to her. Just the same, her other desire to see her family one last time was just as strong. Now, as she recognized their different colored masks and their posturing, she knew who they were. More to the point and beyond any reasonable doubt, judging from the fresh wounds on their arms and legs, they had also just come from a recent battle, as well.

No wonder they were nearly undetectable and moved to attack so quickly.

"Dad?" Rama wondered in shock as she sheathed the swords back into their scabbards. She questioned what she was seeing only because it had been so long since the last time she had seen her father. Rama noted how young he looked compared to the Mike on Devon's world. She felt a lump rise in her throat.

Yet, before anyone else could respond, Mike gazed upon his long-lost daughter. He then choked out, "Rama llama ding dong, my God, girl, where have you been? Do you know how worried I've been, that we've all been?" he demanded with just a slight edge of irritation in his voice.

Shuddering from the shock of seeing him and of being home again, Rama sniffed. The familiar moniker reassured her even more that this was indeed her family and her world. Grinning through her tears of relief, she exclaimed, "You must be pretty worried about me to go calling me by my old nick-name." She then flung her arms about his neck, "As for where I've been, that's kind of a long story, Dad." she admitted through brimming eyes.

Standing off to one side and as relieved as his brother was to have his daughter back, Leo blinked in complete surprise. Reaching out with his mind, he sensed a new maturity about Ramiela that had not been there before. Wherever she had been, it offered her something unique to create that attitude. It was obvious she had grown considerably, both in mental strength and emotion. More importantly, he had never thought she would be capable of disarming all of them so quickly and as efficiently as she had just done. What perplexed him, though, were the moves she implemented. They weren't like anything he had ever seen before.

Consequently, he couldn't help but ask, his voice betraying his wonder, "Where did you learn to _fight_ like that, Ramiela?"

Rama looked over at her sensei and noticed that he, too, was younger than his twin in Devon's world. Just the same and with interesting contrast, Rama could easily detect an expression of hardness upon her uncle's face. Her family's life was a difficult one, with little time for relaxing and few opportunities for peace. She realized, then, that the Leo in the other world had lived a rather easy life compared to her sensei here. Maybe he did have similar beginnings with fighting the Foot, but Devon's uncle had many more years of peace than her family would ever have.

Just the same, this Leo was her Uncle Leonardo and true sensei, and she was very glad to see him.

"I learned to fight this way from the _best_ ninja I know, Sensei." Rama replied honestly as she bowed her head. Looking back up, she saw a look of confusion cross his face. She silently laughed, enjoying the fact that, for now, she had her teacher thoroughly confused.

Rama then looked over and saw Donatello as he retrieved his bo-staff from where it had fallen. Seeing him alive once again caused her to choke up. However, she was amused to find hot tears burn at her eyes for a second time. Yet, she was certain that, not too long ago, she would not live to see him again. As Don drew up with the others and shook the water off his weapon, Rama stepped away from her father and sensei. She then turned towards her teacher and bowed low and deep to the turtle in purple.

Raph sneered and then chuckled, taken by surprise with his niece's gesture of respect. "Since when do you rate _that_, Donny?" he demanded sarcastically. He smirked as he picked up and re-sheathed his sais and then leaned against the tunnel wall while folding his arms across his plastron.

Donatello hesitated for only a moment, just as unprepared for Rama's expression of honor as Raphael was. Then, quickly regaining his composure, he returned the favor and bowed to his niece. Straightening back up, he looked over at his brother and shrugged in reply to Raph's question, "Haven't a clue, Raph, but I'll accept it, just the same." Rama's respect for him was just as baffling to Don as it was to everyone else. He then grinned as if he had been the only one to be so honored by such a coveted expression of respect.

Suddenly, Rama, overwhelmed with the feelings that were coursing through her, rushed over and flung her arms around her Uncle Donatello. She then gushed unabashedly, nearly cutting off his circulation, "I missed you so much. I – I thought I'd _never_ see you again," Now she was unable to hold back her sobs, crying as she released him and stood back, wiping a few errant tears from her eyes. "I feel like I've been gone forever. I've missed all of you so very much," she sniffed, running the back of her hand across the front of her muzzle.

"Well Rama, you might have felt you were gone forever. Even I was worried that I'd never see you again, especially after watching you float up into the air and just disappear." Mike confessed "That was pretty weird, I'll have to admit. But honey, whatever happened to you, you were only gone for two weeks."

Rama was stunned almost speechless. The first shock was to realize that her dream from weeks earlier when she first arrived at Mike's, was not so much a dream as it was a vision. She had, indeed, succeeded in reaching out to her world, although she hadn't realized it at the time. Just the same, hearing about the number of days that had passed for her family while she was away, nearly caused her to step back in surprise.

"Two weeks?" she asked in shocked disbelief. She shook her head as the others nodded theirs, as if in confirmation. Her eyes were wide, as if unable to accept what her father had just told her. "B-but that's **_impossible_** I've been gone for several **_weeks_** now; even a couple of months, in fact," she insisted.

"It's true, Rama, trust me." Mike declared, giving Don a concerned look before gazing back to his daughter, "I've been counting the days, how could I not?" Mike was now worried that Rama might have suffered a head injury or something similar, causing her to believe that she had been gone far longer then what she actually had. It was easy to see that she had been in a recent battle, if the wounds on her arms and legs were any indication. Therefore, Mike was certain that his long-lost daughter had fought her way home and, due to her injuries, might have suffered some mental side-effect.

Leo saw her confusion, yet he also knew the katana swords that Rama now housed in her scabbards were far higher in quality than any of the weapons they currently owned. As he picked up his own weapons from the sewer floor, he noticed new indentations in the blades where Rama's katana struck against them. Glancing over to her, he knew she would have had to acquire her swords from somewhere other than forging them herself. After all, hers were left behind when she disappeared and he had them stored in his own room for safe-keeping.

"I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for it all and we might understand it better once you tell us everything, Ramiela," he soothed, sensing the girl's distress. Then, as he glanced at the fresh wounds Rama sported on her arms and legs, Leo decided, "But for now, though, let's return home where it's safe. It looks as if it's been a long night for all of us."

The familiar tunnels, though cold in temperature, warmed Rama's very being. She was home, she was finally home! In all honesty, she was happy, yet a particular sadness also resided in her heart. If she was truly home, then that meant she was out of Devon's world. Just the same, for now, she would shelve her longings and grief of losing him to enjoy her homecoming and allow herself a moment of reprieve from her disappointment and sadness. Even if she wanted to dwell on it, she could sense from her uncles, and most especially from her father, that not one of them would allow her the opportunity. Collectively, they were nearly popping with excitement to have her back, though she could easily sense Leonardo studying her and felt his confusion with her conflicting emotions.

Once they arrived at the lair, it didn't take long for the rest of the family to learn of Rama's return. It truly was a fact that secrets were impossible to keep in a home filled with ninja. Tyler, as if he had been expecting her, came running into the living area to greet her with peels of laughter and joy.

"Rama, my siser, Rama's home!" he yelled as he flung himself at her.

His big sister scooped him up and tossed him high into the air, catching him as she listened to his joyful squeals of delight. He smothered Rama in kisses and hugs as she brought him back down again. He then announced with pride, "Mommy's in th'kichen, Rama. Go see!" he grinned.

"All right, Tyler, let's do that." Rama smiled, setting Tyler back down and grabbing up his hand. He practically dragged her as they walked along, followed by his chuckling father and uncles. As the group passed through the kitchen door, Rama immediately saw Catherine sitting in one of the chairs, feeding what was obviously her newest child. Noting the pink blanket the infant was wrapped in, Rama knew for a fact that she now had a baby sister.

Catherine's eyes went wide and then her smile followed, "Rama, oh my, Rama, you're back." Her eyes glistened as they threatened to let loose with a deluge of tears. "We've all missed you so very much, honey" she choked out before gaining control of her emotions, again.

"I've missed you, too, Catherine…Mom!" Rama declared, nearly losing it as her step-mother had done. She went over to hug her and then, noticing the bundle in her arms, asked, "So, I have a sister, do I?"

"Yes," Catherine declared proudly and then gently pulled her daughter away from her breast and, after covering herself up, pulled back the blanket to reveal the child's features. "Rama, meet your new sister, Tessica!"

It was easy for Rama to see that the turtle genes were still winning out over normal human ones. However, Tessica had dark green skin rather than the lighter shade she and her brother had. Also, the female child had long eyelashes, as well as a mop of curly, light brown hair. Rama couldn't resist but to reach out and gently caress the top of her sister's head. From Rama's experience with how Tyler was, Tessica looked to be only a week old.

Just then a small cry of protest erupted from Tessica's tiny lungs, with Catherine returning the infant to her meal. After pulling the blanket over her nursing child once again, Cathy gazed back up at Rama. However, the woman could easily read the look of longing in her step daughter's eyes and knew how badly the girl wanted to hold her new sister. So, she said, "You can hold her when she's finished eating, Rama. Right now, though, I don't think she wants to be disturbed."

Suddenly, shouts of "Rama!" and "Ramiela's back," as well as "Hey, Ramiela's home," echoed throughout the lair. Soon, a hoard of her cousins came pouring into the kitchen from the living area and from other parts of their home, edging past the adult members of the clan to swarm as one around their long-lost family member. They hugged her to the point where, by their numbers alone, she almost lost her balance. She laughed with them and returned their hugs with equal force.

The younger ones, like Sensei's youngest daughter, Tiffany - only a few years older then Tyler – began to plead with her, chorused by Raph and Don's six year olds Jacob and Kaida. "Come play, Rama. You were gone too long. We miss you!" they exclaimed together as they pulled and pushed at her. Their favorite playmate couldn't help but laugh at their antics, reaching out and quickly tickling them as they tried to avoid her lightening-fast, yet gentle, jabs.

The older children, such as Donatello's Abby and Colby, then Raphael's Mineko, and finally Leo's eleven year old, Jeff, begged her for lessons, yet they also wanted to show her what they had learned in her absence.

"We've learned some really cool moves while you were gone, Rama!" Jeff exclaimed proudly.

"Yeah," Mineko declared smugly, "I bet I can get you down on the mat with what I've learned!" The young girl's inherent confidence was so much like her father, Raphael, that Rama couldn't help but laugh at the similarities between her cousin and her favorite uncle.

Yet, Rama seemed delighted to just stand there and be crushed by the mob of kids. Finally, she took up a chair to pull as many of the little ones onto her lap as she could manage. They gleefully complied, helping her along and hugging her as she hugged them back, tickling them and trying to respond with as many of their demands for attention as she could.

Mike and his brothers watched from the sidelines, all four grinning as one and relieved to have their kunoichi and future jonin of the clan, back home once again.

Silently watching the spectacle play out before him, Aiden leaned into the kitchen doorway with a small scowl on his face. He shook his head and rolled his eyes before snorting, "So, you made it back after all," he huffed, crossing his arms over his plastron.

Rama looked up at him and then gave him a wide grin, declaring, "Hey, I missed you too, Cuz."

Aiden then smiled at her, in return, and it was obvious that he had missed her as well. Still, true to his nature, he refused to say aloud anything remotely sentimental. Instead, he mentally welcomed her home and with as much enthusiasm as his siblings and cousins were expressing.

Later on that evening and after dinner was over, the children were either put to bed or were otherwise preoccupied elsewhere in the lair by their mothers. Rama finally found a moment to shower and took off to do so before anyone else put demands on her time. Leo waited for Rama to finish cleaning up. Once she came out of the bathroom, he then accompanied her into the living area where the clan, including Splinter, were waiting for her debriefing.

She felt refreshed, now, her wounds cleansed and dressed to avoid infection. Most were minor, but nothing so serious as to keep her from feeling relieved to be home. She still thought of Devon, but her mind was on her family, now. Later, she would deal with her feelings of loss within the privacy of her room.

"So, now that you've had some time to rest up, mind telling us what happened?" Leo asked her as the two of them sat down on one of the sofas. Raphael and Mike were seated on the far sofa with Don taking up one of the chairs opposite from Splinter, who had the coveted overstuffed high-back and the seat of honor. The rat, although elderly, appeared more alert than before, as Rama began her explanation. His ears were turned sharply in her direction to catch her every word, while his whiskers twitched in anticipation. Wrapped around his legs was his hair-less tail with the very tip of it twitching in restrained excitement.

"Well," she said, at first studying her hands and then looking up to face her family, "it's a long story and it's going to be hard to explain, but this is what happened…"

Over the next hour, Rama tried to describe to them her experience, how she felt herself floating away from the roof-top battle weeks ago. Then, finding herself injured and bleeding in an alley, she told of her amnesia and how her uncle's counterpart, Don Tello, discovered her. She described waking up in his penthouse and then meeting her family's twins, which ended up causing her to regain most of her memory. As she told about her adventures with being drugged and then waking up on Don's jet, Rama detected a strong undercurrent of anger from her father. She sent him a mental message of understanding about that, but quickly dismissed it to further describe her life at Mike Angelo's estate in Big Sur.

She saw her family's eyes, and especially her father's, go wide at certain points in her story. It was obvious that they were rather transfixed with her tale and maybe a little skeptical.

Leonardo and Master Splinter sat passively, though, watching and sensing for any falsehood in the girl. As she shared, she allowed them to probe her mind as far as verifying her story. It didn't take them too long to be convinced that Rama was being truthful in the telling about her experiences.

Still, while she was in the bathroom taking a shower, she had made a decision. Before her sensei called her out for the meeting, Rama decided that she would omit two particular aspects of her time in the other world.

The first was that no one, absolutely not one person in her family, would ever know that she had already celebrated April Fools. Rama had discovered, while she was still in the kitchen greeting her cousins, that it was still February and almost two months away from her favorite day of the year! She was certain that if they knew she'd already had her fun in Devon's world, they would deny her the right to enjoy the holiday this year in her world. As far as she was concerned, that wasn't going to happen, no way. _"How often can one celebrate a particular holiday twice in the same year?"_ she reasoned to herself.

The other fact that she was determined not to divulge, was just how serious her relationship with Devon became. Instead, when she shared about him, she minimized their relationship, telling everyone that he had become a good 'friend' to her and helped her to cope with life topside. The last thing she needed was for her father to freak out and have a fit with how close she felt and how intimate she became with Raphael's son in the other world. _"If he even learns about how far I was willing to go…"_ she had mused with a smirk, before Leo had called her out, _"I doubt he'd ever let me meditate again!" _

As she finished telling how she ended up in California and about her 'friendship' with Devon, she gave a sideways glance to her sensei. It was then that she saw a small 'knowing' smile crease his face. It was perfectly clear that, even though she had shielded any incriminating information from him, Leo could tell that Devon was more to her than just a friend. Up until the time she had returned home, Rama didn't have any need or reason to mask her feelings for her beloved. Consequently she hadn't been quite fast enough to guard her heart from Leo on the matter.

Just the same, Rama swallowed and then quickly changed the subject. "Oh, and you're not going to believe this one!" she declared, knowing that the next part of her story would have Leo's focus onto something else, "Shay was also part of that world!" She waited for the weight of her words to affect her family.

Hearing the name of Rama's mother, Raph's eyes blazed in familiar fury. He looked over and saw that his brother, Mike, also reacted, his expression hardening ever so slightly. None of this was lost on Rama as she went on to say, "However, like it was with everyone else, she wasn't anything like she was in that world, although I didn't know that at first. No one even suspected there would be any correlation between Gabby's mom and me."

Mike raised a hand to interrupt her, "You seem so – how can I say this…" he tapped his chin a little as he looked up at nothing in particular. Then, clearly irritated with hearing Rama's mother's name spoken again, he looked back at his daughter, almost close to seething, "Oh, I don't know, unbothered and maybe, just a little _glib_ with that?" His eyes smoldered for just a moment, yet it was easy to tell that he was more upset with his memories of Shay than angry with his daughter.

Catching his displeasure, yet understanding the nature of it, Rama continued, "Well, let me explain, Dad, okay? I _was_ bothered with her, at first…" Then Rama then went on to tell how badly she had reacted towards her mom's twin when she first saw her. She described how she had nearly destroyed the music store, almost killing Gabby's mom in the end. With much chagrin, she shared how it was Gabby, herself, who had finally broken through Rama's blood-lust and who literally saved her own mother's life.

"If it weren't for Gabby's ability to get through to me, I would have killed her mother. I just lost total control of myself…" Rama said solemnly. It was obvious by all that the event great disturbed her.

However, Raph's angry mood brightened considerably. Hearing how his niece had tried to right the wrongs that Shay had committed against her, even if she was in another world, he commented as if trying to bolster her a bit, "Hey, Rama, blood-lust or not, you did what you felt you had to do!" However, he was given a silent and immediate rebuked from Leo. Grumping, Raph settled back against the couch, crossing his arms in front of him in a huff.

Then, Rama told about helping to clean up the mess she had made, deciding not to tell them about her temporary exile in Mike's dojo. She figured, considering how her family lived and their view on self preservation, they would not understand her punishment. Instead, she shared how she discovered, much to her surprise, what a good woman Cassandra was.

Both Raph and Mike snorted in disbelief. "Give me a break, Rama." Mike exclaimed as he shook his head in denial, "No way. Shay would have to be just as evil in this other world as she was in ours." Her father's expression was hard and unforgiving. It was obvious that he was resistant to believing the woman who had caused them nothing but grief could be so different in this other existence.

"If that's true," Rama stated, "then I guess Uncle Donatello and Uncle Raphael's twins would have to be just like them, no exceptions." She looked over at her uncles in question and continued to explain, smiling just a little, "But, that wasn't the case. In Devon's world, Don Tello was wealthy beyond belief and had just about anything and everything at his finger tips. He was also assertive and not the least bit hesitant to flex his ninjitsu, if it guaranteed an outcome. In fact, he greatly dishonored me to that end. No, he might have been like you in appearance, but he also had the capacity to lie and manipulate, if need be."

Her Uncle Don's eye widened just a bit, shaking his head as if unable to fathom that he in any universe could be that way. Yet, before any of them could form an opinion, Rama went on to further explain, "Yet, Don Tello was not above prostrating himself in front of me, when he realized the gravity of his misjudgement. I couldn't rightly blame him for how he acted towards me, since I was refusing to answer any of his questions about all of you. Just the same, he more than tried to make up for his own misconduct, offering me the traditional posturing of contrition." Pausing for emphasis, Ramiela continued with her story, "Don also shared jonin responsibilities with Leo, while Leo was out of the States." She looked over at her other uncle, saying, "As for Raph, he was less aggressive than you are, almost cautious in comparison. He did have a temper and had an occasion to chastise me for my initial behavior. Still, he had been through a lot, nearly losing his mind after his divorce from Rahab." Though there was more to the story that Devon had shared with her, Rama decided for expediency, to foreshorten it.

Rama saw Donatello raise his eye ridges and then smile as he looked over at Leo, quite amused. Leo only rolled his eyes in response, allowing a small upturn in the crook of his mouth at the thought. Raphael just shrugged before Rama went on, "They might have been duplicates of all of you, but they were different in many ways. From that experience, I learned a very valuable lesson with getting to know Cassie."

Laughing almost derisively, Raph asked in his usual acerbic way, "Right, and what would that be, Ramiela, how to kill someone with music?"

Mike chuckled a little at his brother's sharp wit, but then he, too, received the same quiet warning from Leo. "Hey, Leo, we're just having some fun, here. It does seem rather incredulous, you have to admit."

"Maybe so, Mike, but I can't sense anything but honesty in your daughter and I know you can sense it as well." Leo replied stoically as he leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his plastron. Splinter nodded in confirmation, lacing his long, bony fingers together and smiling warmly at his granddaughter.

"Yeah, well, you're right about that," Mike allowed and then turned back to Rama, who was obviously not at all happy with being interrupted. "Sorry, Rama, it's just so – incredible, everything that you're sharing and all."

"I know that, Dad," Rama replied, "but I know what I saw, what I went through. I'm not saying that Shay of our world should be forgiven or her punishment regretted. It's just that, well, I've learned that circumstance often determine who we are and how we act – or react." Shifting in her seat a little and pointing to herself, Rama remarked, "Consider me, for example. I've lived my entire life fearing topside, except for when I can carry my weapons or am in disguise. Yet, in that other world, I learned to walk out in the open, among humans, and without weapons." She saw her family's interest pique just a little, so she continued, "Oh, I wanted to hide at first, you can bet on that. Yet, I learned that even humans can get used to us." Rama sighed at the thought, "At least, in that other world, they can."

She noticed that the caustic remarks seemed to have stopped but what grabbed her attention was her Uncle Donatello. As he watched and studied her, a bit of wistfulness came into his expression. For a fleeting moment, Rama sensed longing. She knew that her Uncle Donatello had the same smarts and intelligence as Don Tello did. However, it was only their personal and unique circumstances that separated her family from experiencing a similar lifestyle. It pained her to know that, because the humans in her world would be too resistant in accepting them, her uncle and the rest of her clan might not ever know the luxury his twin enjoyed. Yet, Rama was glad that it was she, and not her teacher, who had the experience, since it was hard to miss something you didn't have. For her uncle's ignorance of such things, she was glad. She knew that Donatello often chafed at their limited existence and, therefore, would find it impossible to cope with if he had what Rama had for the two months she was away.

For herself, only time would allow her to adjust to life in the sewers once again.

As she came to the part in her story about Don's alleged demise and what triggered her return, she explained how they had learned the truth and discovered where the enemy was holding him. Rama then described how the rescue had gone, "I knew I was already in a meditative state for the battle and I knew I couldn't escape the blast, there just wasn't enough time," Rama swallowed sharply and closed her eyes for a moment as she remembered Devon calling her to run to safety. It was only a few hours ago that she last heard his voice and it echoed like a forbidden temptation in her mind. Still, just sitting there in the lair once again and in her world, his voice seemed as if it was a lifetime away and growing fainter by the moment.

As she steeled herself against the pain of loss and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees, Rama talked, instead, about what triggered her return, "As the blast became eminent, I wanted to come home and see all of you just one last time before I died," Rama murmured as she sniffed a bit, looking at the floor, "yet I truly felt and believed that it wasn't going happen."

She suddenly sensed her father's own emotions and looked up at him. Their eyes met and it was plain to her that he was reliving that fateful night he had seen her disappear. She could see the empathy in his face and watched his eyes fill with tears in the remembering. He knew all too well the same desire she was sharing about.

Ramiela then went on to say, "I think that I must have teleported again, it's the only other explanation to explain my being here. All the necessary elements were in place. I was in a strong meditative state that lasted for some time because of the battle, like that first time. I had a strong mental image of where I wanted to be and I had an accelerant from the blast that made me think I was going to die." Of course, Rama didn't dare tell them about the one time that only her desires were enough to send her on her way – and into Devon's bedroom!

Her family was quiet in reflection for a moment as Rama paused in her telling. There was just so much information to digest, so many possibilities to consider, that for the moment, it all seemed incredibly overwhelming to everyone.

Then, as he remembered from earlier and sounding quite perplexed, Mike commented, "Yeah, but, Rama, you said that you've been gone for two months, yet it's only been two weeks for us; you couldn't have been gone that long," His brow furrowed deeply, clearly showing the confusion he felt.

Don suddenly cut in, holding up one hand as if it could stop his brother's refusal to believe Rama's story, "Don't be too sure about that, Mike. It is theoretically possible for the time-line to be different from one world to another." It was clear that he was all ready working out the 'how's and whys' in his own mind. Smiling and waving his hands around for emphasis, he went on to explain, "Look, even the planets in our own solar system revolve differently. The distance they are from the sun and their unique and individual gravitational pulls either lengthen or shorten their days and years. For each planet, time is different. Take for example Pluto; it takes two-hundred and fifty of Earth's years for the planet to circle the sun; yet for Mercury it only takes 88 Earth days!"

"Yeah, okay, that explanation I can buy, Don," Raph exclaimed, "but all this stuff about older twins, uh-uh, I don't think so." Raph shook his head. The thought unnerved him to think that, not only did he have a twin, but he had one that nearly lost his mind - and over a female, no less. He crossed his arms in front of him and snorted.

Don laughed "Haven't you heard the old saying about how we all have a twin or a doppelganger somewhere in the world?A person that looks just like us, walks like us, talks like us, but has not necessarily lived the same life that we have?" Don then commented as he cocked his head to one side, "There's a theory that says there are parallel worlds that, in many ways, mirror our own. Perhaps Ramiela inadvertently stumbled into one such world."

Rama smiled at her uncle Donatello, for once admiring his knowledge of just about everything and giving her story some credibility. She knew her experiences were hard to believe, so she truly appreciated her uncle's input. It was quite possible, too, that her show of respect to him from earlier might have made him more open to what she had to share. Just the same, it went without saying that her family completely trusted her Uncle Donatello in such mind-numbing matters as science.

"Look," Rama insisted, almost in frustration and then declared firmly, not willing to back down when she knew she was telling the truth, "I'm _not_ lying. I know where I was and _how_ long I was there."

Splinter smiled "She knows, she is right." was all that he said and while these days his words often meant very little, Rama had a feeling he understood her long tale and accepted it as the truth.

As Raph and Mike attempted to counterpoint their father, Leo held up his hand to quell any more challenges to Rama's claims. Once his two brothers relinquished the forum, he turned to his niece and said, "We know you are not lying Ramiela; after all, we can sense your sincerity," However and just a bit more seriously, he suggested, "Just the same, if what you said about how meditation was a key element, then we are going have to work on this new teleporting skill of yours."

Rama groaned as she rolled her eyes, knowing that once her sensei had made up his mind about something, no amount of failure would deter him from success. She could see herself spending the rest of the year in the dojo meditating until, at the very least, she was able to teleport to the bathroom. Finally she said, "No offence, Sensei, but if the other Leonardo in the alternate world couldn't find a way for me to do it deliberately and when I wanted to, how are we going manage it here?"

Leo gave a small, sly smile, "By practicing, my dear Ramiela. Every skill you have, you have learned to use through repeated practice." He then pointed out, "Besides, there are times that such a skill might be necessary for all of us, so it is important to learn and know how it is to be done."

"But, Sensei," Rama argued gently, "it may be that I might not be able to control where I go or even when. I just might end up in a completely alternate universe where the whole world is made up of Foot Elite and we're still in the sewers, but not ninja!" She lamented sorely, "I could literally jump from the frying pan and into the fire."

"Well," Leo shrugged, "then, you'll just have to teach our counterparts ninjitsu, now wouldn't you." Seeing the near exasperation in his niece's face, he added, "At the very least, Ramiela, we would stop the lesson if you begin that tingling sensation and were not sure of where you wanted to go. Quite honestly, I don't think we care to lose you again."

"No way, bro!" Mike chimed in, "These past two weeks have been hell for me – and for Cathy, not to mention for Tyler, too." He also knew that Karena would agree with him, where she saw very little of her husband after Rama disappeared. As a result, he had to take over her duties in the dojo training the younger clan members. Consequently, along with patrol duty, Leo was usually too exhausted in the evenings to even be an adequate mate to her.

Just the same, Rama tried not to express the frustrated sigh that welled up inside of her. Yet she couldn't help but grump internally, _"I have a feeling, though, that meditation and teleporting is going to be my only lessons for a while.'_

She saw her sensei give a smirk, as if in silent confirmation of her thoughts. "Very perceptive of you." he agreed in a low tone and then chuckled softly in amusement at his niece's chagrin.

After the meeting was finally declared over, Rama went to her bedroom. As she passed through the doorway, she smiled as she saw the computer desk just inside and to her right, with her bed against the farthest wall and a simple night stand sitting next to it. Then, her small three-drawer dresser stood next to the desk along its left, and then a bookcase at the opposite end of her room which completed what furnishing she owned.

The furniture was old and battered looking, though she knew it was far too sturdy to fall apart. There were a few pictures of her favorite singers on the walls, along with some of her own drawings and a poster of a sea turtle that she had owned since childhood. She sighed at the familiarity. There was no denying that Mike Angelo provided very well for his family and that his generosity knew no limits. Rama had enjoyed staying in the opulent guest room with its walk-in closet and oversized bathroom that she didn't have to share. Yet, despite the beauty of that place and all that it offered it, this room was hers and it was her home. She would never trade it for anything – except for maybe a little more time with Devon.

Yet, it had been a long day for her with it starting out in Japan. As she thought about it, the team had spent a good eight hours between leaving Leo's Ryu and the battle on Busuanga Island. They had left at three in the afternoon, arriving at the enemy's base close to midnight; which was perfect for a night time assault. From the battle to her return home, it was only a matter of maybe fifteen minutes, yet the tired ache in her body told her it was more like hours. It was quite possible that she was still operating on a time schedule that Devon's world followed. If her two months in his world was equivalent to only two weeks in hers, then – she had some serious math to consider before understanding how many hours of sleep she had gone without. "Guess I could have Uncle Donatello figure it out for me," she mused, but then she sighed as she realized what would probably happen, "Nope, I just know he'd make me do the work, instead."

Just the same, she was tired and she wanted to catch a few hours sleep before patrol that night. Flopping down on her bed, she recalled what her sensei had said, that the Foot was still active and, as always, he was worried about it. It seemed that it was business as usual, now that she was home, again. Yet, Rama just didn't feel quite ready to lie down; her mind was still working through the day's events and, more importantly, on her thoughts of Devon.

Consequently, knowing that it would help her to relax and make it easier for her to nap later, she eased into a lotus position to meditate a bit.

As Rama relaxed, she entered into a deep meditative state. Her breathing slowed and her heart rate followed suit, allowing her mind to drift. Suddenly, she thought she felt the faintest brush of a familiar but very distant presence and it seemed to be in a meditative state as well.

"_Devon__?" _she wondered silently, somewhat surprised.

_"Rama!"_ the mental shout was full of shock and uncertainty, as if the speaker wasn't sure but he wanted to believe. "_Did you teleport?"_ he asked her expectantly, yet with a feeling of hope wafting through the mediation plane.

"_Yeah, I'm back with my family, Devon, and I have a baby sister. But, I sure miss you though."_ Rama replied soberly.

Devon's thoughts eagerly replied, "_I miss you, too, Rags - so much. But, it is good to know that you're still alive. The family will be glad to hear that you made it back. Guess the memorial for you was a little premature. Oh, before I forget, Don is doing well."_

Rama smiled; pleased with the news and for the mental contact she had with Devon. How often had she tried to reach her family like this and failed miserably? Why was she able to contact Devon, now, but not her family weeks ago? Maybe it took two, meditating at the same time, with the same thoughts and longings to bridge the distance? Yet, for just that moment, Rama was content. It seemed to be the only way to speak or reach out to her beloved and she was glad of what that might mean, yet she also knew that it might not last very long.

"_I'm so glad to hear that Don is all right," _she said, _"I was so worried for him._" She wondered, though, if she ought to bring up the matter of what Devon had wanted to ask her, before they left on the mission.

****

For a moment, however, she thought she had lost the tenuous hold that she and Devon had, since she couldn't sense him like she did a second earlier. Rama fearfully believed that, whatever force was helping them to connect, was already losing its strength. Yet, before she convinced herself that all was lost, her heart nearly sang out as she heard his thoughts once again.

_"I was hoping to get the chance to tell you something,"'_ Devon admitted carefully, "_only - I didn't seem to get that chance - before you - left us." _There was another pause, and then he 'spoke' again, a feeling of longing conveyed in his thoughts, "_I want you in my life Rama."_

_Rama smiled inwardly, she could feel tears warming her eyes as she took in his words and his feelings. Finally, she replied, almost insistently, "I want you, too. I don't know how we will, but I know we can work it out somehow, Devon, some way." _

She didn't want to let go of him, not quite yet. She knew that if they both worked at the teleportation skill, then maybe there was a chance for both of them to be together again. Maybe they couldn't be together all the time, but being with one another every once in a while had to be better than not at all.

"_I want to be with you, Devon, whenever I can,' _she affirmed and then teased, "'_Sides, you still have a promise to keep with me."_

_"Darn good insurance, that promise," _Devon smirked with a laugh.

_"The best,"_ Rama agreed as she smiled in response.

_"Rama, I love so you very much." _Devon declared_, "And, I want you to be my wife, to be the mother of our children. I need you so badly; it hurts not to have you here."_

Rama's heart was near to bursting as it nearly did flip flops to hear his words. She had felt his intent long before the mission, yet Devon had seemed to always hesitate, never saying the words to her. She was certain that it was this which he wanted to tell her before leaving to rescue Don. Even though they were now literally worlds apart, without a clear defined way to physically reconnect, to hear such words from him would make all the difference to her.

****

Yet, his voice seemed fainter and even though she tried to respond and tell him 'yes' to his proposal, she didn't know if Devon had heard her reply or not. Her mental connections with Devon had passed and, try as she did to reach him again, her efforts were in vain. All that seemed to remain was the cold vacuum of space itself.

After a while, she opened her eyes. She was happy that she had the brief contact with him, but her heart filled with a deeper ache and longing to be with Devon and to feel his gentle touch again. She clung to the words that he had spoken to her, not wanting any of them to slip from her mind. Quickly, she slipped off her bed and over to her desk. Pulling out her journal from the middle drawer and taking up a pen, she sat down on the chair afforded her there and wrote out his last words to her. If that initial contact was the last communication that she would ever have with Devon, she wanted to write down each and every word he had said to her so that she would never forget them.

As she wrote her beloved's words onto the pages, Rama realized that Sensei was right. It was imperative that she learn to control this teleportation technique, if only then would she be free to truly travel across the vast distance that stood between her and Devon. Only when she had control would she be able to dispense of the deep pain in her heart and fulfill her desire to be with both her family and the man she loved and to whom she had given her heart.

As she finished writing down Devon's proposal and the words he had 'said' to her, Rama raised her head slightly and swallowed. She thought of their love together, the chance she lost with starting a family with Devon, and the seemingly unfair way that fate had dealt its hand to them. She would always treasure her time in his world, Devon's touch upon her, and the love he so deeply shared just a moment a go. Yet, before she could stop it, a single tear trickled down her cheek and then, unable to contain it, she released one small sob to break the silence of her room.

The End.

**_RAMICA'S COMMENTS:_**

**_Pretender:_**_ I am rather glad to hear we caught you by surprise and aren't totally predictable. Crying in school in computer lit class, not a good thing, are you sure you should have been reading our story in class? A gratitude for your insight._

**_Pacphys:_**_ You are catching up fast. Where is your sense of adventure, not mixing chemicals, isn't science all about exploring, investigating? I can see a young Rama wouldn't get along well with you, unless she treated you the way she treats Don in my " Reluctant Student" story. You made a valid point on the plane issue and now Reinbeauchaser has some correcting to do. Greatly appreciate you pointing that out. I don't know why I missed that I know a pilot of a large air line. A gratitude for your insight._

**_Lunar Ninja:_**_ Don't blame Reinbeauchaser, after all Rama is my character and as you can see things aren't as bad as they seemed. We did have you going though. LOL your ' fart" comment. A gratitude for your insight._

**_TB Reader: _**_Sure you **would** enjoy watching that! As you can see there is no real need for bloodshed so everyone can calm down and relax. Most importantly put away all those weapons I am feeling quite battered enough at the moment, though it is only from a hard day of work. A gratitude for your insight._

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**_REINBEAUCHASER'S COMMENTS:_**

**_PRETENDER FANACTIC_**_: Ah, so we've pulled one over on ya, have we? Goodie:0) Well, it was supposed to be sad, so I'm glad you at least figured that one out. LOL Anyway, next time, take some tissue with you before reading anything on Fan Fiction at school. You've been a most faithful reader and reviewer and Ramica and I both appreciate your commitment to our story. Also, for pointing out any gaffs along the way! Considering how long this turned out to be, it speaks well of your perseverance. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. Be blessed!_

**_PACPHYS_**_: Well, you're probably right about that, since it was a 747 that I took to the Philippines last year. Unless, Don had extra fuel tanks built into his 737. We can assume that or change it to a 747. I almost made it one, in fact, but changed my mind. I know that Lear Jets can hop, skip, and jump to Asia, though. Ah well, maybe that's what Rama and the others did, but we nixed the details on it. Yeah, leave it to an adult daughter of Michelangelo to point out the obvious, eh? LOL Don is still Don as you know him, but – well – a bit more worldly and wise, as well as rich beyond measure. Yes, Gabby has issues, major issues, and they get somewhat explained in chapter 59. But, looks like you have a bit of reading to do, before you get to it. Yipes, we wrote – Gabby? Wow, talk about a plot hole. Surprised that we weren't called on it before now. Hmm…Well, seems there's more for you to read and with this chapter now up, we're done. Doesn't mean the characters are done, but this story is finis, put to bed, or whatever other cliché works. Thanks for being such a fast, yet dedicated reader and reviewer. You condense very well, by the way. Be blessed._

**_LUNAR-NINJA:_**_ Ah, but siblings that love each other, despite their differences. At least, Devon didn't trash Gabby like he did in YD. Me? Kill Rama? Don't you know what happens to writers who kill or torture her? Just ask Ramica about that one. Of course, I gave Rama Devon, so maybe she'd be nicer to me, eh? LOL Rumor has it that she has her bags packed and ready to go whenever I need to borrow her. HA! That is, if we don't Deep-Six her first. ?Fart? Wow, getting rather expletive, aren't you? LOL Yes, grit your teeth even more since – well – this chapter still leaves much for an ending everyone wanted. Oh well…the whims of the writer(s) prevail once again. Bwahaha! Thanks for reading and reviewing and for sticking with us until the last line was written. With as long as this became to be, I bow before your tenacity! Be blessed._

**_TBREADER_**_: Ha! Well, it was a joint effort between Ramica and me. So, the TMNT's are going to have to split up, somehow. Well, some of Fan Fiction is improving. I did have to re-save the main page, for some reason. My old short-cut to the site stopped working this week. I haven't tried the new 'Open Office' free download that they're offering. I'm waiting until my husband gets home tonight to see what it's all about. Well, thanks so much for hanging in there with us. We both know it was a long read, longer than we planned on writing. Again and one more time, thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed._


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